Nothing Beats Fall Planting

The first rains of fall having loosened the local clay, I was eager to plant all the beauties picked up at the SLO California Native Plant sale yesterday.

Several folks said they planned to plant that afternoon, and I too was inspired knowing that today rain is forecast. If you haven't heard (but live in the Mediterranean California climate) fall is the absolute best time to plant. For anyone who wants to save water, or the cost or chore of watering, it makes sense to plant right before the fall/winter rains begin in earnest. November is just about perfect most years. Even mid-winter is good if you live in an area that doesn't get hard freezes most years.

I guess it shouldn't be a wonder that most people who live in California don't hear this message. My own theory is that nurseries don't want to give out this information because they need to sell plant year round. This seems to be true even of nurseries that sell only California Natives. Another theory is that most of our knowledge about planting and gardening was gained by our forebearers who began their gardening on the East Coast where fall planting would be a ridiculous idea. Most gardeners moving to California didn't or don't stop to think that there might be a new way to look at gardening in this radically different climate.

However, considering the issue of water, it is time to begin growing plants that do not require year-round watering such as a lawn, and many other exotics do. What do I consider an exotic -those plants that are imported from a non-Mediterranean climate. California natives, or plants from other Mediterranean climates can survive just fine after established with only winter rain.

So, if you don't want to be as much of a purist as I am, and just want to aim for Mediterranean plants - what do you look for? Plants that can live through the long dry summer because they originate from areas that have adapted to the same seasons. Those areas include most of the Mediterranean Basin (except the deserts), the Cape Provence of South Africa, two areas in Western and Southern Australia, and most of Chile. Just so you understand, not all of California is considered a Mediterranean climate. The Sierra Nevadas have snow in the winter and thunderstorms in the summer thus not falling into the category of a mild wet winter, and a long dry summer.