Yesterday was August 10, one of the annual milestones in our native plant calendar.  On August 10, the daylength is one hour shorter than during the summer solstice, and is changing by roughly 2 minutes per day.  By tomorrow, we will switch from May to April daylengths.  Soon, we will begin to detect the subtle differences in light intensity and hue that let us know that fall is on the way.

With good planning and proper irrigation, it is possible to plant throughout the year, but is most problematic in June and July, because of the combination of high temperatures and maximum daylength.  At Pacific OpenSpace and the North Coast Native Nursery, we avoid planting in early summer, and wait until the middle of August.

By the fall, we have warm, sunny days, but the period of maximum temperature does not last long.  Instead of the long hours of high heat in early summer, the period of maximum temperature in late summer and fall comes and goes rather quickly.  Also, the nights are longer, so that plants have more time to recover.  As a result, plant installation in the fall becomes easier and more reliable.

We will be making periodic posts to Native Notes to share our observations of native plants, native restoration, natural landscaping and other related topics.

Early Summer Planting

Summer has just begun.  In central California, the daylength at summer solstice is almost 15 hours (14 hr 49 min).  By the time Winter Solstice arrives, the daylength will be 9 hours and 30 minutes.  This is a difference of 5 hours and 19 minutes, although it seems greater.

In regions of the country with summer rain, this is the best period to install and maintain a garden.  In California, however, the combination of high temperatures and maximum daylength makes it difficult to plant at this time of year. 

However, it is possible to successfully plant during early summer, but you need to follow some basic guidelines:

1.  It is easiest to plant in the low stress environments of your property.  This includes shady sites, the north and east side of the house, naturally moist locations, and places where you will be able to provide irrigation.

The nearer to the coast, the easier it is to plant during the summer.  People whose homes are in the fog belt can install landscape plants nearly year round.

2.  Do not plant during heat waves.  Check the weather forecast before planting.  It is best to plant in the morning on a cool day, especially when additional cool days are predicted.

3.  Make sure the soil is moist when the plant is installed.  Roots can quickly die back if they are exposed to dry soil.  If the soil is dry, make sure to moisten it before installing the plant.  One good method is to dig the hole, then fill it with water.  Let the water drain before installing the plant.  Of course the soil to refill the hole must be moistened as well.

4.  Be diligent about watering the new plants.  This does not mean daily watering.  Once or twice per week is generally enough.  However, remember that the roots do not yet extend deeply into the soil.  A newly installed plant can look beautiful one day and wilted the next, if the soil moisture is not maintained.  The goal is to keep the soil evenly moist, but not saturated.