Work Day, 2009#10 Bumping Up

Nanci, Linda, John, Sarah, David and try-it-out volunteer from Soka University: Megan Tan. Bumped up remainder of plants: CA rose, Monkey Flower, purple needle grass, bedding plant, elderberry, mountain mahogany, and white sage.
There is enough work for 1 more work day to bump up tree-shrubs. It will take at least another month until we can bump up the tree-shrubs to 5 gallon pots…. size of plant and/or time of year that critters don’t eat the tops of them.
We’re starting to see fungal (fungus) gnats on the seed flats. These guys promote “damping off”. Search finds that common source is over-watering.. also if you are using peat-based media, consider switching to one that only contains perlite and vermiculite. Good air circulation is also a deterrent.
The automated irrigation project is making good headway. Ranger Laura worked with Eagle scout group, which donated $600 to the Nursery for the automated irrigation system. Ranger Barbara has gotten the County work started to lay bibs to both structures.
Beth is going to do various testing on the prickly pear cactus seeds. This will save us trial-and-error. However I have not given up on flat we have.

Weather: raining during week and another storm coming. 160 gallons of rain water.

Work Day, 2009#9 Bumping Up

The volunteers included David, Linda, John, Nanci and newbie Stephanie (Soka student). We bumped up bush sunflower, elderberry, monkey flower and purple needle grass.
The Park had taken our 430 purple needle grass and planted them for re-vegetation around the Nix Center. In 1 or 2 work days we should be able to move our trees up to the 5 gallon containers. See slide show. (Click any pic to enlarge)

Work Day, 2008#8

David, Beth, Anne, and Linda helped on today's work day. We bumped up purple needle grass, CA fuchsia and mustang mint. The oaks are growing, slowly. We've had a period of near-freezing temperatures.
The 2” of rain produced about 60 gallons of rain water -30gal/1”. This is less than average of 50 gallons/1” of rain. Interesting enough we used 18 gallons this work day – most of this was for cleaning.
A big help has been David and Beth coming by and checking on plants and watering. Without an automated irrigation system, maybe this June, this is the support we need.

Work Day, 2008#7

David brought his 3rd bench cover today, which we promptly put onto the seed flats, as many had again been eaten by “critters”. Those plants that were inside one of David’s cover’s, were AOK. So this is a story with a happy ending.

David, Beth and Steve went seed collecting up Laurel trail: prickly pear fruit, Toyon, Lancet-leaf Dudleya, Mugwort and some Deer grass. We ran into LCF work detail with Ranger Jackie doing trail repair (looked like hard work).

Beth and David have been helping water and check on plants during the week. A big help, and much needed.

Bumping Up, 2008#6

Most of the tree/shrubs were damaged by “critters”: Big pod Ceanothus, Toyon, Mountain Mahogany, and Holyleaf redberry. Also we lost many seed flats to early hot/windy weather. Sarah repaired Ceanothus, and re-seeded Holyleaf redberry. John reseeded Prickly pear cactus, rose and Bush sunflower. David reseeded Mountain Mahogany. Beth did repotting for existing potted plants. Bill worked with Linda on oaks. There was about 30 gallons of rain water from under 2 inches of rain from last week.

Bumping Up, 2008#5

David brought in two spiffy covers that we’ve already started using on the oak seedlings. In January, or when the oaks have 3-4 sets of true leaves, “something” gnaws the stem off at the base. This year we’re ready, and the design is light and easy to move around. For safe measure, the seed flats were covered too.
Nanci bumped up CA fuchsia and helped Bill bump up Coast Live and Scrub oak. John bumped up Big Pod Ceanothus. Steve helped prep potting soil and make labels. David made flats of Lemonade Berry and Elderberry that had been cold stratifying. The group finished with another set of Purple Needle grass. See slide show. (Click any pic to enlarge)

Bumping Up, 2008#4

The weather waited to rain today until right before we started working… about 0.1”. David started bladder-pod and bumped up CA fuchsia. Beth continued, along with John, on oaks and bumped up coast live oak. Nanci and Steve bumped up purple needle-grass, and a flat of scrub oak. The seed flats for toyon, false indigo, ceanothus, and mountain mahogany have all started and appear to be viable. The group went through 150 gallons of potting soil!