Plant in the Winter?

If you live in California, it's not too late for winter planting!

Why plant in the spring in California? Some say this idea is a holdover from our ancestors, or perhaps ourselves, as gardeners in the Eastern United States. Most of us don't need to worry about freezing temperatures killing the new plants, why not instead plant in the fall, or winter so they can get a headstart in the rain, before the long dry summer begins?

Most of California is a Mediterranean Climate which means that we have temporate wet winters, long dry summers, wild fire danger,an ocean to the West, and live between 30 degree and 45 degrees North or South latitude.

Only 2% of the landmass in the world has a Mediterranean climate though 16% of the species diversity thrives in them. Where are these located? Most of California has a Mediterranean climate (but not the Sierras), much of Chile, the Cape Provence of South Africa, all the Mediterranean Basin (except the deserts),and two areas in Western and Southern Australia meet the criteria. Many gardeners in California take the plants from another Mediterranean climate and plant them here. I volunteer at such a garden, however, while one can conserve water and fertilizer this way, I am much more an advocate of native plants.

In either case, a gardener does well to consider the climate in his or her planting. Does it actually make sense to plant in the spring, knowing that water will be essential throughout the summer to keep the plants alive? A much more water conservative method is to plant in the fall - late October or November to take advantage of the winter rains to give the plants a huge start in their new locale.

Native plants, in particular, happily send down tap roots when the soil is moist and the air is cool. If you have experienced San Luis clay you know why - in the summer it can become hard as rock. It would seem impossible to grow roots through this medium. Many native gardeners even refrain from summer watering after the first two years, once the plants are well established.

Most of California doesn't suffer much from winter freezes so planting can even continue through December and January if one doesn't manage to get all of it completed in late fall. In our area, October usually brings a plant sale at the Nipomo Native Garden and the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. In November there is the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) plant sale.

It's not too late for winter planting to take advantage of the rains still to come, and there is always next fall.

Falling Floods

"Falling floods cascade to carpet the already wet ..."



A poem I wrote decades ago seems in order in the City of San Luis Obispo which has now received over 30 inches of rain since July 1, 2009.

The hills are all a stunning green, and most everything is growing at a stupendous rate, or to great heights (weeds and annuals). However, some plants may not be faring so well. If you planted unwisely or too optimistically with regard to drainage, your plants may have suffered.

Salvias (sages) may have suffered. As Bornstein, Fross and O'Brien say in California Native Plants for the Garden, "Our native sages, without exception, are plants of dry places." My one year old Salvia Pozo Blue is reputed by Las Pilitas Nursery, to survive 7-35" of rain. However, it did not in my garden. Even the Celestial Blue, which was 2-3 years established looks in shock, though it may recover.



Eriogonum giganteum are reported to be adaptable but prefer well-drained soil. A somewhat established one planted in sand and behind a retaining wall near a drop of three feet, bringing gravity to bear, fared well. A new one planted four months ago in clay where there is not much of a slope died quickly.

Another buckwheat, Eriogonum crocatum, about which sources disagree on how adaptable it is, was planted in both sand and clay. One was planted in sand, three in clay. Only the one planted in clay closest to the water valve on the rain barrel died. The others are delightfully coming into their lime green flowers (top photo).