2018 - Robert's botantical adventures in Northern California

[cohan]

Nice to see some blue sky, even if if doesn't last.. the smoke has been coming and going here too-- clear yesterday with a chilly north wind.

[Robert]

Nice to see some blue sky, even if if doesn't last.. the smoke has been coming and going here too-- clear yesterday with a chilly north wind.

Although there are a number of wildfires still burning in the area, the skies have cleared a great deal. It certainly beats the dense smoke from past weeks.

I have had some QSO with other ham radio operators in the Sierra Nevada. This morning there are reports of some subtropical moisture moving into the area from the southeast. I will have to check on this with a latest satellite and surface observations. Some rain, without dry lightning, in the Sierra Nevada would be nice.

I am nearly finished with part I of my Van Vleck report. Too many dead-lines right now.    All will work out well in the long run and I will get everything done. 

At this time, we also have some nice autumn blooming species blooming in our garden. I will be out of town, and back and forth, so most likely nothing will be posted. This is okay too.    The autumn garden is looking good, and things do cahnge 

A chilly north wind?  How chilly? I am very curious. This time of year, there is frosty weather in the high country of the Sierra Nevada. It seems like your region will not be far behind. I am not seeing any autumn color yet, but it should be arriving soon.

Yesterday 2 September Weather:

Sacramento
Clear
High 94 F
Low 61 F
RH 4:00 p.m. 33%
DP 60 F
Wind SE 3G7
Bar 29.70 falling

Placerville via telemetry
Clear
High 91 F
Low 57 F
RH 4:00 p.m. 26%
DP 51 F
Wind S 3G5
Bar 29.82 steady

[cohan]

A chilly north wind?  How chilly? I am very curious. This time of year, there is frosty weather in the high country of the Sierra Nevada. It seems like your region will not be far behind. I am not seeing any autumn color yet, but it should be arriving soon.

The high temperatures you show, we barely get a couple of times in mid-summer, if that...

Our high on Sept 01 was somewhere around 16.5C/61F, the next day got a couple of C degrees higher, today only to around 13/14C- 57F and the last couple of nights were just above freezing, with frost warnings, no sign of frost in the yard yet, though I have very little outside that is tender... It could go either way this  time of year (we could have frost, could have-not lasting- snow, but we could also have days in the mid 70's or higher), but we have been below average temps for the last 10 days or so, and looks likely to mostly stay that way for the next week or two... by then the average will be lower yet!

[Robert]

Very interesting. 

It appears your climate is very well suited for true alpine species.

Since frost may arrive any day, your garden must be getting "sleepy".

[Robert]

Weather for selected sites:

Sacramento
3 September
Clear
High 90 F (32.2 C)
Low 59 F (15 C)
RH 4:00 p.m. 39%
DP 4:00 p.m. 62 F (16.7 C)
Wind SW 4G8

Naomi, one of our Cockatiels was sick yesterday but seems fine now. Shopping for out-of-town work today. Tomorrow evening I will post part I of Van Vleck. I also managed some photographs from our garden that I can post too. 

It looks like there could be some convection over the Sierra Nevada today and maybe tomorrow. I will QSO one of my ham radio friends and find out what sort of action there is in the Sierra Nevada today. Tomorrow I will be in the Sierra.       I will be making some repairs to one of my weather stations. I hope to have it back to 100% soon.

[cohan]

Very interesting. 

It appears your climate is very well suited for true alpine species.

Since frost may arrive any day, your garden must be getting "sleepy".

As I said, I don't grow much outside that cares about early frosts-- this year the only thing is potatoes, and although we may have had temps just below freezing, they are fine so far.. some of the alpines and natives will continue to flower until we get much colder than the freezing point (-10C or even much lower in spots), or until they are buried in snow, whichever comes first! However, some plants have been colouring/drying up for a few weeks already. Autumn is a gradual process which starts and ground level and works its way up, but things could start seriously colouring any day now, with some chilly nights.. I'm not too focussed on the garden now, apart from getting things done that need to be done for winter-- sinking seed pots etc... time to start cutting firewood...lol

[Robert]

If I understand correctly, you are gardening east of the Rocky Mountain crest.

The climate must be fairly dry?

I have never been to Alberta, however it seems there must be some similarities to the east side of the Cascade Mountains in northern Washington State; dry, mostly arid grassland, however coniferous forest in the higher terrain.

You mentioned cutting firewood for the season. Local conifers or something else?

It seems like an interesting gardening climate.

Our current conditions @ 6:00 a.m.:

Clear
58 F (14.4 C)
RH: 72%
DP: 49 F (9.4 C)
Bar: 29.89 R
Wind: SW Calm

Yesterday's High temperature: 91 F (32.8 C), Low: 58 F (14.4 C).
This is slightly above average for this date.
The forecast is for continued warm weather with above average temperatures. A tough is forecast to dig into the Pacific Northwest late next week. Considering chaos theory, I will believe it when I see it. It is still very difficult to make consistent somewhat accurate forecasts past day 2 or so. Sometimes even day to day forecasts are inaccurate. Long term trends are easier to forecast. At this time it appears that an El Nino event may be developing for late autumn, winter. An El Nino event generally impacts the weather everywhere around the globe.

Most of the monsoonal moisture stayed south and east of our region yesterday. I will be in the Sierra Nevada today. The forecast is for the monsoonal moisture to continue to stay to our south and east.

It looks like I will be posting Part I of Van Vleck this evening.     

[cohan]

If I understand correctly, you are gardening east of the Rocky Mountain crest.

The climate must be fairly dry?

I have never been to Alberta, however it seems there must be some similarities to the east side of the Cascade Mountains in northern Washington State; dry, mostly arid grassland, however coniferous forest in the higher terrain.
You mentioned cutting firewood for the season. Local conifers or something else?
It seems like an interesting gardening climate.

Can be dryish here, for sure, but not as dry as the areas you mention-- the way the air movement works here,  (I am about 90km from the actual foothills, in a strip of boreal forest mixed woods that is just outside the foothills running north/south) we get more precipitation than areas farther east and south, thus we are boreal forest and not aspen parkland or grassland. I'm not sure what all the mechanisms are, but in part I think it relates to mountain passes/gaps that allow more Pacific air to come here. Also, due to relatively low average temperatures, we have less evaporation than hotter zones, and finally, most of our precipitation (besides decent but not high snowfall) comes right in the growing season. So we are generally green all season. Dry enough especially with the right siting, to grow a good number of dryland plants, but wet enough, with the right siting, to grow European alpines, even Himalayan plants, woodlanders etc.
Longer forecasts tend to be a bit doubtful here too After a few warm (not really hot) weeks in August, we've now been in a cool, sometimes damp, trend for the last 10 days or more, and looks mostly set to continue.. a couple of degrees C below freezing last night.. sunny now, though.
Firewood is mostly standing or fallen dead wood from the acreage and my uncle's farm beyond-- I use mostly poplar, some birch, some spruce-- though we mostly use that for seriously cold weather (below -20C, and not always then) as it can be too hot..

Hope you get some good seasonal rain!

[Robert]

VAN VLECK
&
TELLS PEAK REGION
El Dorado County, California

Part I

Thursday, 16 August 2018

Weather for selected locations

Eldorado National Forest, 5,400 ft.
Weather: Clear
Temperature, High: 85 F, 29.4 C
                       Low: 46 F, 7.8 C
Relative Humidity: 28%
Dew Point: 46 F, 7.8 C
Wind: W Calm
Precipitation: 0.00 inches (0.0 mm), To date (starting 1 July): 0.00 (0.0 mm)

Van Vleck Region
Weather: Clear
Temperature, High: 76 F, 24.4 C
                       Low: 43 F, 6.1 C
Relative Humidity: 31%
Dew Point: 41 F, 5.0 C
Wind: W 4G8
Precipitation: 0.00 inches (0.0 mm), To date (starting 1 July): 00.00 inches (0.0 mm)



It had been a month since I had last been free for an all day outing. Wanting to make the best of this opportunity, I set off from Sacramento at 4:00 a.m. to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. After a few stops to record meteorological data, I arrived on the top of Peavine Ridge as the sun started to rise over the crest of the Crystal Range. The skies were mostly clear and much of the smoke had cleared from the recent wildfires. The temperature was quite mild, 53 F (11.7 C).



It was a beautiful morning in the Sierra Nevada. By 9:00 a.m. I had finished checking the last set of meteorological instruments a few miles from the Van Vleck trailhead, the starting point of this outing.



This rock outcropping is near one of my meteorological observation sites. The outcropping is typical habitat for Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi. It is exposed to full sun, and the drainage of the gritty soil is excellent. The base rock is granodiorite a frequently encountered rock strata in this part of the Sierra Nevada. A band of metamorphic rock also runs through this area. It is part of the Shoo Fly Complex. Penstemon newberryi grows well on these rock strata too.

It is too easy to linger at this site, so I pulled myself away and set off for the Van Vleck trailhead.



It did not take long to arrive at the Van Vleck trailhead.

An extensive portion of this area was heavily logged during the 1980’s. Much of the old growth timber was removed setting the stage for an over growth of Lodge Pole Pine, Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana in many areas. This hillside (pictured) has a fairly healthy stand of Red Fir, Abies magnifica var. magnifica. Much of the older Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, was cut during the logging operations. Previous to logging, the forest had it own set of problems due to years of fire suppression. Piecing together the recent evolutionary history of this area and how the past has impacted the flora and natural history of the region today is an interesting study.



The spring/early summer wildflowers had finished, however the late blooming species were still in their prime. Anaphalis margaritacea is a very common late blooming species in this area and thrives in open, dry sites.

[Robert]

Symphyotrichum spathulatum is another late blooming species that was still in its prime. The daisies are very cheery and abundant as one hikes along the trail.



Mimulus primuloides var. primuloides starts blooming much earlier in the season. Where there is adequate moisture this species will continue to bloom well into the autumn season.



Monardella odoratissima ssp. pallida is a xeric species that can have a prolonged blooming season. The minty scent of the foliage is delightful. It is also an excellent nectar source for many insect species.



Many adult Lepidoptera species are attracted to Monardella sp. when they are in bloom. This Fritillary, Speyeria sp., may have been an Atlantis Fritillary. Both the Coronis and Zerene Fritillary are very similar. Distinguishing between the species can be extremely difficult.



As I worked my way up the trail, I spotted an occasional stem Pterospora andromdea, Pinedrops, in the coniferous forest duff. This member of the Ericaceae Family lacks chlorophyll and is parasitic on living root fungi.

[Robert]

Solidago elongata is another frequently encountered late blooming species in this region. The plants in this area generally have the distinguishing serrated leaf margin associated with this species. It is a fine species that provides color for many weeks late in the growing season.



The shrubby Chrysolepis sempervirens is one of many shrubby plants found in this area. In addition, it is one of the few evergreen shrubs found at the higher elevations. This Chinquapin is quite showy in the autumn when the spiny, golden seed pods contrast against the green foliage.



The fruit of Ribes roezlii var. roezlii were starting to color up. Later in the season they will become bright red. The fruit is quite good to eat if you can negotiate the gauntlet of outward facing spins on the outside of the fruit skin.



The fruit of Thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus, were also starting to color up. These too can be delicious to eat. They do not have any spins either! The fruit can also be a favorite of birds and other wildlife.



Elderberry, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea, is occasionally seen at the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada. It is a large shrub often reaching a height of 3 meters or more.

[Robert]

There are many beautiful meadows in the Van Vleck area. Prior to the 1980’s the Van Vleck family own the property in this area and used the meadows for a summer cattle range. The area has a long history of livestock grazing dating back to at least the 1880’s and most likely a bit before this time. The meadows are still rich in wildflowers and other species of plants. The conditions in these meadow habitats prior to livestock grazing are unknown to me, but it is something I often ponder.



Even late in the season a fair number of wildflowers can be found blooming in the meadows. Oreostemma alpigenum var. andersonii is a typical late blooming species seen in moist areas.



The white flowers of the Apiacecae species Perideridia parishii var. latifolia sparkled throughout the ocean of grasses and sedges in the slightly drier portions of the meadow.



Gentianopsis simplex was one of a number of treasures found in this meadow.



Of coarse the blooming flowers attract a variety of pollen and nectar gathering insects. A bee can be seen above the flower on the left.

[Robert]

Today, 5 September, I spent a small portion of the day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A bit of monsoonal moisture had worked itself into the Sierra Nevada.



The moisture worked its way as far north as Plumas County.



Most of the shower activity remained to the southeast on the east side of the Sierra Nevada crest.



In the Lyons Creek Basin there were scattered Cu buildups. All through the region a strong Southwesterly wind blew. It was a warm day today, 92 F (33.2 C) at the Placerville farm, 1460 feet (445 meters). Today in the Lyons Creek Basin it was 75 F (23.9) for a high and 40 F (4.4 C) for the low.

The forecast for the next week seems a bit tricky. Working against Chaos Theory is a gigantic challenge. On the macro end of the equation, the MJO seems like it is going to become active again in Phase 8. This could indicate a neutral precipitation phase for us in Northern California and a likelihood of cooler temperatures. We shall see. With Chaos Theory, it is the small nuisances that can create much larger impacts. It is fun to see if any of these can be identified.

A quick weather roundup – August in the Lyons Basin:

Average temperatures for the month
High: 75.84 F (24.36 C)
Low: 38. 97 F (3.87 C)
Average wind speed: 4 Gusting to 9 mph
Average 4:00 p.m.
Relative Humidity: 30%
Dew Point: 38 F (3.3 C)



This is one of my favorite patches Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium. Seedlings from this colony produce many excellent plants that bloom profusely.

[cohan]

Interesting to see quite a few plants that would not look out of place here, even if some are cousins to the local species... Would have area have been dry since July as well. or would the flowering plants be in areas that have had rain?

[hamparstum]

Robert, I'm as usual fascinated with the plants you show:
Ribes roezlii looks very much like a gooseberry (Grossularia uva spina)to me while Rubus parviflorus seems like a paler cultivar of a raspberry. Are you aware if these two have ever been brought into cultivation?
The Symphyotrichum spatulatum is quite similar to the New England asters, but obviously well adapted to summer drought. Did you try out garden accessions from it?.
Actually this same question can be applied to all other species. Most of the biota goes dormant as result of natural summer drought. However, those species that defy it, become extremely interesting! In your eyes, is Anaphalis margaritacea a garden worthy species to try? Of Epilobium canum I've no doubts. Arturo