When to Plant California native plants.Both the higher temperatures and longer days of early summer have been shown to increase growth of some symbiotic microorganisms while others have adapted to cool moist soils. If the site is a highly stressed restoration site that is getting no water you are forced to do a midwinter planting. In coastal or mild climates early winter planting is preferred, as soon as the ground is moist from rains. If water is available for even two waterings and winter gets below 20 F, on most sites March-April planting is preferred. (Back east that may be May.) In most restoration strategies I can think of, fall planting is the least desirable. This is because the microorganisms and the plants are at their weakest (the site is dormant), soil moisture levels are at their lowest, and the stupid critters eat anything that has green on it. This statement is true in most of California. These site conditions will draw from the plant rather than support it. In a regular lot in town, or with water for the first few months, all year planting is no problem as long as you plant each section at the same time. You do not want to keep digging holes and watering, in plantings you've already done. We've normally lost less than 5% of our plants planting in spring-summer, even when it is 110 F. We've been zinged with fall planting because the plants go into winter, growing, instead of hardening off. We also can have an extended fall with hot dry temperatures and the plants die of desiccation (the site is drier then than in midsummer). Winter planting in a cold winter climate can be very risky. It takes a few weeks for the plants to harden off, and the plants do not have this time if you plant in the winter. If the plants are dormant or allowed to harden off, i.e., being grown in an equally cold climate, winter planting is easy. Do not worry unless your area gets below 15 F (-10 C) with no snow. AND, the soil is easy to dig in! |
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Location |
Spring(March-May) |
Summer(June-Aug) |
Fall(Sept-Dec) |
Winter(Dec-Feb) |
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Coastal California (overcast in summer, lows in the 20's in winter) |
Great planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered 3-5 times after planting and then they can generally make it through summer 'normal' losses @5% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well, a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @7% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well, a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a BAD planting time unless you're willing to build a fort and guard it) 'normal' losses @8% |
Great planting time 'normal' losses less than 5% |
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Inner coast ranges, inner valleys of Sierra Nevada Mountains (hot and dry in summer, lows in teens or lower in winter) |
good planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered 3-5 times after planting and then they can generally make it through summer 'normal' losses @7% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @10% |
sucks, ground is dust, you plant, the plant wilts, water, water, water, the plants push new growth and then freeze (if the critters don't eat them first) losses range from 30% to 100% This climate separates the gardeners from the pretenders. |
Great planting time 'normal' losses less than 5% as long as the grower is supplying hardy stock , wait until about the 3rd rain and the soil will be diggable |
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San Joaquin valley |
good planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered @5 times after planting and then they can generally make it through summer 'normal' losses @8% |
fair planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @13% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @10% |
Great planting time 'normal' losses less than 5% as long as the grower is supplying hardy stock, wait until about the 3rdrain and the soil will be diggable |
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Low Deserts |
good planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered 1/week through the first summer 'normal' losses @5% |
fair planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @15% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @10% |
Great planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @5% |
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High Deserts |
good planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered 1/week after planting and then they can generally make it through summer, you can stop when they're growing vigorously 'normal' losses @7% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer or antelope this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @10% |
sucks, you plant, the plants push new growth and then the frost turns them into frozen lettuce (if the critters don't eat them first) losses range from 10% to 90% |
Great planting time 'normal' losses less than 5% as long as the grower is supplying hardy stock, wait until about the 3rd rain and the soil will be diggable |
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Mountains from 3000-5000 |
Great Planting, normal losses 5% |
good planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered 1/week after planting and then they can generally make it through summer, you can stop when they're growing vigorously 'normal' losses @7% |
good planting time, water the area to be planted well a week before you plant, water 1/week after you plant (if you have deer this becomes a poor planting time unless you're willing to build a fort) 'normal' losses @10% |
Great planting time 'normal' losses less than 5% as long as the grower is supplying hardy stock, wait until about the 3rdrain and the soil will be diggable |
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Mountains from 5000+ |
Great Planting (as soon as the snow melts), normal losses 5% |
good planting time, enjoyable, plants need to be watered 1/week after planting and then they can generally make it through summer, you can stop when they're growing vigorously 'normal' losses @5% |
sucks, you plant, the plants push new growth and then freeze (if the critters don't eat them first) losses range from 10% to 40% |
who's going to tunnel through the snow? |
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Copyright 1995 |
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Las Pilitas Nursery |
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Santa Margarita - Escondido |