Bumping up 2007-8/#3

Sarah, David, Paul and John volunteered. This is our 3rd work day to bump up seedlings from flats, and our day's work brought our total of restoration plants to 846, or 77% of our 1,100 goal. Very good progress.
Our potting rate is about 38 pots/hour/person, or 2 flats/hour/person. We are only 254 plants short of our goal. At this rate, we should hit our goal in as little as 1 more work day. But most likely it will be 2-3 work days, as I'd like to have more plants than promised.... "just in case". We just can’t stop at the Restoration plants. We’ll have a few hundred of trial and “just because” plants. Click below to see G-rated video.

More bumping up

David, Nanci and Anne helped today. Together they bumped up 324 plants: 30% of our goal today; moving us up to a total of 54% of our goal. Started new seed flats for White sage, Purple needle grass and Goldenbush.

First “Bumping” Up 2007/8

John, Greg and David volunteered. We bumped up our first plants, about 325, or 30% of our goal of 1,100 plants. Not a bad days work. We worked on CA fuchsia, Goldenbush, and branching Phacelia. We’re getting initial growth on narrow-leaf milkweed, and looks like we just might have Indian milkweed. We’ll have to start another seed flat for White sage, Goldenbush and purple needle grass. See slideshow for pictures. (Click any pic to enlarge)

Seed Flats II

Tom, David, Nanci and John volunteered. We created remaining seed flats, as remainder of seed was delivered Thursday. David filled in for watering during the week; seed flats can not dry out, else the germinating seeds will die. We won’t do more seed flats unless the seeds we’ve used are not viable or there is some problem.
We reviewed “bumping up” for our next work day: when to do: after 1st set of true leaves, potting soil from Tree of Life Nursery, slow release fertilizer (Scotts “Osmocote Plus”, 8-9M, 15-9-12), pots to use and labeling.
Santana Winds are due the first part of the week: hot and dry with temperatures expected in mid-90’s F. David will come by twice a week to check/water seed flats the first week. I’ll do the 2nd week.

Plant List 2007/8

Seed Flats 2007/8

Today we did initial seed flats for the year. When we get remainder of the seeds, we’ll finish off the seed flats. Today we had help from Nanci, Sarah, John, David, and Wendy and her daughter. This year tried a new strategy of mapping the flats before the work day… worked OK, but with some of the seed missing this plan was not too great. Also new was measuring seed before starting flats, a good idea, but probably should have been done before this work day. All equipment was sanitized with 10% bleach solution. We are again doing alternate seed flats to be kept away from Nursery… in case of trouble. We also did set of pots of Milkweed. All told: 9 flats using 23 seed lots and 4x32 pots. See slide show.

First Work Day 2007/8 Plant Year

Today was our first official work day of the season, and what a busy day it was: cleaning, arranging and working with seeds. Volunteers included Nanci, John, Sarah, David, and Paul.
To get things started we moved the hutches out, which had been on their side protecting the oaks and dudleya. The seed cleaner, which we don’t know how to use, was moved out too. Nanci bumped up and planted a few remaining oak trees. All this to make room so we can work under the poly-film roof… in case it rains.
Sarah and David cleaned out and organized storage bins after 4 years. Paul and John cleaned and sanitized seed flats (15). Also Paul filled one of the cisterns with city water… in case we don’t get rain.
Finally David, Paul, John and Nanci helped do seed cleaning from this summer.

Next work day we’ll be able to focus on getting seed flats ready, so we can meet our goal of having container plants ready by the end of February.