Now is the time to plant natives!

by Bonnie Allen

Native plants waiting to go in the ground.

by Bonnie Allen

We’re all rejoicing at the gift of an early, abundant rainstorm in late October. I looked out in my backyard on October 25 to see a creek and a small lake where there had been none before. After a month and a little more rain, the ground is still wet enough to dig. This is the perfect time to plant California’s native drought tolerant plants. With any luck, they can get through their first winter without added water and be established enough to need only occasional water the first summer. 

Even before the rain started, I collected species from our local chapter of the California Native Plant Society’s plant sale, and have put most of them in the ground. My list includes a California buckeye tree, yarrow, ninebark, manzanita, lupine, heuchera and milkweed, along with coffeeberry seeds. I also scattered seeds of buttercup, beeplant and Chinese houses under the canopy of my coast live oak tree. 

My first native plantings were in the spring, but as the ground dried up I found myself having to water them. Now with the rain, they are flourishing vigorously. Once established, they should be able to get through next summer with little or no watering. 

ReLeaf is working hard on a palette of native trees and shrubs that will soon appear on our site. Check back for a link.