The Arrival of the Natives

After spending nearly a day picking them out from the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley, I've just finished planting forty four different varieties of California native plants that attract songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies in the backyard!  I've created a map of just these new guys below.  I was going to plant seeds, but my patience got the best of me. I'll try the seeds in the Spring...   I had to first harvest the corn and Amaranth.  We ended up with a nice pile of corn and four big bundles of Amaranth seeds that are drying out.  Putting the stalks in the compost I realized we had a resident lizard!  

It took time to design the lay-out of the plants based on size, blooming season and type of bird or butterfly they attract.  I trapped my sister in the yard to go over all of the choices that I'd made.  She approved.  It felt like I was making an enormous painting.  Some of the plants provide nectar, some seed and some shelter.  I dug a three foot hole for each one gallon plant.  I chose two of the hottest days so far this summer to plant which was not the smartest idea on a couple levels, but I got through it in two full days...a little sun burned and sore, but none the worse for wear!  Three feet was probably a bit excessive, but our soil is very slow draining mixture of sand and clay and I wanted to give them the best shot possible considering it was at least 100 degrees out!  

I filled each hole to the top with water and let it drain all the way down once before I filled the bottom of each hole with compost to help with future drainage.  I made a little mote for each plant after it was in the ground and filled it up three times (This is what the TPF advised me to do).  I bought a moisture gauge because I'm afraid I'll over water the plants and drown them.  It's been super helpful. I just don't trust that I'll know when to water based on sticking my finger in the soil up to my second knuckle as recommended.  I really couldn't be more excited about it.  Now I wait and watch.  I read that the first year the natives will sleep, second year they will creep and the third year leap.  

I'm hoping for at least a creep this year.  The Purple Haze Aster has bloomed three days after being planted.  I thought that was a good sign.  Also as a side note, we had our first hummingbird at a penstemon flower two weeks ago and Scrub Jay has been by twice that I know of...once to take a bath!  OK it's five days later now...this morning I interrupted the juvenile hawk that's been hanging around as it was swooping down to grab a dove.  I'm sure it will be back...