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!

2008: Plant List and Seed Flats

Seed flats, 2008-9#3

Nanci and Linda put together seed pots for narrow-leaf and Indian milkweed. David finished flat of Ceanothus. John did seed flat of Dudleya and Sycamore. Bill did seed flat of Laurel Sumac. Beth cleaned all the seeds in cold-stratification: oaks, elderberry and lemonade berry. The oaks are about 10% germinated, so we will be bumping them up next work day. (Click any pic to enlarge)

Seed flats, 2008-9#2

Nanci, John, Steve and Beth all helped put together our first seed flats and get the cold-stratification batch started. Lots of prep work still needed to be done: clean seed flat containers, seed cleaning, prepare flats, label everything…. We were able to get all the key plants started today with great help! See slide show. (Click any pic to enlarge)

Nursery Work Day, 2008/9-#1

Our first official work day for the plant year 2008/9 involved lots of cleaning: Nanci, Bill, Steve and John. Nanci made sure all was cleaned up in Nursery, and then moved to cleaning seed from the rose hips and cactus fruit. Bill started the day by watering Dudleya and tree inventory, which have been on a every two week cycle over the summer. John, Steve, and Bill then proceeded to clean seed that we have collected over the 12 months. Then Steve helped do the final bag and label of seed, which I took home to get a 24 hour freeze to de-critter.
Oh… for those there, the plant listing is: Narrow leaved bedstraw, Galium angustifolium .
In the slideshow, click here, you’ll see Nanci starting to fill blender, with blades taped, with rose hip to begin seed separation. The “rose water” had the added benefit of softening your hands! Then you’ll see cactus fruit in bucket that had also been separated, then seed skimmed off top. Bill is taking the husk off False Indigo seeds. (Click any pic to enlarge)