David and Beth helped do major clean up at Nursery today. Beth cleared back the foliage around the Nursery perimeter so that we can get around on all sides and we now have a full work area. David fixed the little red wagons, weeded and took care of new plantings around Nursery. I cleared area for supplies and weeded also. We were all exhausted at the end.
We seem to have made some real progress with the deer-mice, as we have not had any in the chests for 3 weeks now. David brought in the final prevention: a sign he and granddaughter made. We concur that Betty’s suggestion of steel-wool in the open spaces did the trick.
By the way… David is helping me with another automated irrigation scheme to water the plants we have started outside the Nursery and an overflow area (to be determined). (Click any pic to enlarge)
We already have 460 restoration plants: purple needle grass (280), Juncus acutus (144), and rose (36). These are almost ready to go.
Our vegetative plants are doing very well. See following pictures of samples that are about 2 ½ months old. So far the results look very positive. See root growth in pictures of black sage and buckwheat.
We’re testing walnut, Juglans californica, and sycamore. The walnut came from Crystal Cover (but I think we have some outside of Willow gate). The tree planting by Willow gate will need another mulch put down… unsure if we’ll do it or park staff.
If you haven’t seen planting at Willow Ranger trailer, take note. Very pretty white monkey flower and mustang mint in picture.
Before our “official” plant day, in early July, we’ll have a few clean up and get ready work days. In June we’ll be open for new volunteers to start, no reason to leave them out of pot scrubbing, cabinet cleaning, weeding and other duties as required!
Deer mice continue to be a problem with our cabinets. They chew up everything and pee-poop-birth on everything; damaging supplies and making all unsanitary. We’re working on keeping them out, and going to try repellants too.
(Click any pic to enlarge)
David and Beth helped do major clean up at Nursery today. Beth cleared back the foliage around the Nursery perimeter so that we can get around on all sides and we now have a full work area. David fixed the little red wagons, weeded and took care of new plantings around Nursery. I cleared area for supplies and weeded also. We were all exhausted at the end.
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