2015 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Hoy]

Robert (and Tim),

I agree to what Tim says!
Can't you try to establish yourself as an adviser regarding plant choices and landscaping? I can't think anybody could give more deliberate advices than you.

We also experience dry periods and regularly have hose bans during the summer - even here at the wet western coast. But usually it isn't lack of water but lack of capacity when everybody water their lawn at once.

So you have got some snow? Not enough for skiing?

[Robert]

Tim,

Using the garden - nursery to showcase plants is such a good concept! Many years ago the Western Hills Nursery in Occidental California had such a nursery. As one might expect, it was highly popular! Unfortunately, the nursery (including native plant nurseries) and landscape trades in California have entered a period of seeming banality. There has been nothing new or creative in our area for decades. I do not blame the operators or anyone else for this situation, as such things are generally highly complex and can take on a life of there own.

As Trond points out, this opens opportunities for me, as there is certainly a need in our local area. Now that it is clear that I will not be returning to farming, my wife and I are considering ideas that include my passion(s) for plants as a source of livelihood. For us it will be small, local, and personal with each client. I appreciate your nursery - garden blog. If I am wise, I will find much helpful information within it. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. 

[Robert]

Robert (and Tim),

I agree to what Tim says!
Can't you try to establish yourself as an adviser regarding plant choices and landscaping? I can't think anybody could give more deliberate advices than you.

We also experience dry periods and regularly have hose bans during the summer - even here at the wet western coast. But usually it isn't lack of water but lack of capacity when everybody water their lawn at once.

So you have got some snow? Not enough for skiing?

Trond,

All the ski resorts have closed due to a lack of snow. I am sure if they could easily get their employees back, the resorts would reopen as there is now enough snow for skiing!

As your postings progress, I am sure I will have many more questions about your native flora. It is my understanding that tall mountains even on the wet west side create rain shadows. Maybe I have my information incorrect, but there must be a slightly different flora in such areas if they do indeed exist.

[Maggi Young]

Graham Rice on the California water shortage : http://www.transatlanticplantsman.com/transatlantic_plantsman/2015/04/lettuce-golf-courses-gardens-wasting-precious-water.html

[Hoy]

Interesting to read Graham Rice on the water shortage!

Here  is how lettuce and tomatoes are grown here, not far from where I live. The envionment is totally controlled - no waste of water. And the costs? As far as I know they can compete with anybody.


50 hectar lettuce:



Source: http://www.bama.no/eway/default.aspx?pid=241&trg=MainLeft_6127&Main_4489=6274:0:10,3993&MainLeft_6127=6181:1639660::0:6194:1:::0:0

900.000 kg tomatoes from this farmer:



Source: http://www.dn.no/nyheter/naringsliv/2015/03/19/2151/Landbruk/strst-p-tomatya

[Hoy]

Robert,

It is of course differences in the flora between east and west, but not as great as should be assumed from the climate differences.

It especially some hyperoceanic species on the west coast which make up the difference.

The wettest places on the west coast get about 350cm/year (140in/year). The driest parts get less than 30cm/year (12in/year). I'll come back to this later.


PS. I would be seriously depressed if my Rhododendron died of drought

[johnw]

Trond  - Much the same here though these greenhouses were financed and built in and constructed by Holland in the Annapolis Valley.  Heated with sawdust though and said to have gone through an 18-wheeler load per day during the worst of winter conditions.

johnw

[Hoy]

John,

Interesting. I had to read about Annapolis Valley! Don't know much about Nova Scotia to tell the truth

Here they use natural gas (of which we have plenty) for heating and reuse the CO2 as fertilizer increasing the production 20%.

[Robert]

Trond,

It is interesting how the same general techniques are used in agriculture throughout the world. Both high tunnels and low tunnels are quit popular here in the U.S.A. Some are heated others are passive solar. Even here in California both high tunnels and low tunnels are used to produce out-of-season vegetables. During the heyday of the farm here, I used low tunnels. I will try to round up a photograph as I think that there are some around somewhere.

Eliot Coleman popularized the use of passive solar high tunnels and low tunnels here in the U.S.A. His farm in Harborside, Maine (part of the original Nearing homestead) is not too far from John in Nova Scotia. The climate is not known for its heat, winter or summer. Unfortunately when visiting the Nearings farm / homestead I did not have time to visit his farm. From the photographs in his books his farm seems quite productive and the techniques sound.

I have been very busy the last few day, but we did get "snow on the dogwoods", a local saying around here. Unfortunately, I most likely will not have time to get a photograph. It did not snow here at the farm but short ways up the road.

[Robert]

Thursday, 9 April 2015

Weather: High Clouds

Temperature, High: 69 F (20.5 C)  Low: 36 F (2 C)

The snow in the higher terrain a few days ago, provided an opportunity to return to one of the lower foothill sites to see how the plants were progressing. Today's visit was to the village of Cool to explore the ridge line above the North Fork of the American River. This trail head starts out at 1,550 feet (472 meters) elevation.



The trail for today's outing, started out north through open grassland, surrounded by oak woodland and savannah. The morning was chilly, mainly due to the recent rains and snow. The air was crisp with moisture, the day was mostly clear, and the plants were happy with a good drink of water.



The open grassland is former grazing land. After about 4 decades, the plant life is still slowly recovering from the heavy grazing. As the trail turned into a heavily wooded ravine the number of species increased dramatically.

There were very good stands of Triteleia ixioides.



I have considerable interest in our native Iris species. I was very happy to see that Iris macrosiphon was still in bloom.



In this area most of the Iris had some variation of pale lavender flowers. I did find a few with deeper lavender flowers - the photographs did not turn out. To me, all of them seem very lovely.



There was still a large number of species in bloom. Unfortunately the rains had caused many of the flowers to bend over making photography difficult. Wythia beleniodes was blooming, however the flowers were all flopped over.

Pictured are the flower buds on W. angustifloia, a species that blooms a bit later in the season.

[Robert]

Here is the first photograph of Iris macrosiphon that did not post. 

[Robert]

Even this late in the season there were still large stands of Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum) blooming.



A real treat were the stands of Delphiniums blooming. These were most likely D. hansenii. For the most part, our California native Delphinium species are very xeric going dormant during the dry season.



Climbing through the shrubbery and other perennial species were some of our native "pea" species. I like them all.

This is Lathyrus sulphureus.



In this same area there were Sierra Pea (Lathyrus nevadensis). This species generally grows at higher elevations. I was very pleased to see them.



Deer Bush (Ceanothus integerrimus) is a common chaparral species. Some plants were still in full bloom.

[Robert]

The trail continued its decent into the river canyon. Wildflowers of all types were everywhere.

Silene californica were frequently seen as I moved lower into the canyon.



Here is one of the many seasonal creeks that flowed down toward the river below.

Far down in the canyon I found an infrequently used trail that moved back up to the top of the ridge. At this point I was at 975 feet (297 meters) elevation.



This turned out to be a good trail to explore. There were many Lilium humboldtii in this area, one of our "dry land" species. In the past I encountered this species much more often, so I was very happy to see so many. I will want to return when they are blooming. This will still be several months from now.



It seems to never fail, I generally always see something that is a bit out of the ordinary.

Near this very steep trail I found plants that looked to be natural hybrids of Wythia belenioides x W. angustifolia.



Both species grew in this vicinity. The plants clearly had characteristics of both species. I will keep an eye on them and see how it all progresses.

[Robert]

Near the top of the ridge there were many rocky meadows. I spent some time looking for Viola douglasii, a species that I thought might grow at this elevation and in this type of habitat.

I thought that I would find more diversity in these areas. There were a few clumps of Stipa lepida, surrounded by Lomatium marginatum in full bloom. Tiny Linanthus bicolor bloomed with Tomcat clover (Trifolium willdenovii) and with a few native bulbs here and there, mostly Dichelostemma capitatum.



A bit more hiking and I reached the top of the ridge line at 1,657 feet (505 meters). The chaparral grew thickly with a few pines, mostly California Gray Pine (Pinus sabiniana), growing here and there.



From the top there were vistas out toward the great California Central Valley far off in the distance.



Most of the grassy meadows had few native species. Most of the plants were invasives from elsewhere.

I did find the beautiful annual Sidalcea hartwegii.



With plenty of time still and not much going on in the grassy savannah, it was time to try something different. I decided to leave the trail and explore the forest beyond, wandering as I pleased among the plants.

[Robert]

Generally, hiking off the trail brings me good results. Today was one of those days with many interesting plants appearing almost immediately.

Iris macrosiphon grew everywhere. Many plants were still in bloom, other with seed pods progressing toward ripeness.



I try to always keep an eye out for plants that are a bit different than the type. Reddish new growth on Arctostaphylos viscida is not unusual. This plant was quite striking with its deep red new growth.

On this same day I also found one tree of Quercus chrysolepis with similar deep red new growth. Very beautiful!



Slowly I moved among the plants, checking on everything. There were beautiful stands of Calochortus albus.



My mind was focused on the plants and a deer I was tracking. Slowly I was moving down into the canyon, the terrain becoming steep.

Dudleya cymosa blooming next to a rock.

The forest was getting thick with an undergrowth of shrubs, but it was still very grassy. How did this Dudleya get here? I rarely see them among the grass like this.



I had not seen any Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) and thought that they should be around. Well, soon there were many.