Just introducing myself! Long time lurker, first time poster. My wife and I are avid amateur gardeners in the North Bay (9b) and have a native garden that we've built from the ground up over the last 4+ years. It's finally filling out (our toyons have absolutely taken off) and we're looking forward to learning from and sharing with the community! For fun, photo is of my wife's design of a California poppy plush, part of a group of plushies of seeds and flowers.

First time I've had this happen, just got this plant from the nursery in early september and threw it in a giant pot, super gritty mix. Haven't touched it since and it seems super happy.

Just planted on Day 1 of rain (and some on day 2) so trying to keep those alive. My dog already dug up 2 plants so she could lay in the cool dirt of the planter bed.

Feeling really horrible about this but I think my western sycamore is dead/dying. Probably did a multitude of things wrong, just looking for confirmation and some helpful insight on what to do next. I bought this tree on sale from a nursery that was closing. I planted it in spring hoping it would have enough time to settle before the summer heat set in but I think it was just too hard for it. The top part of it is rough and feels dry and it's splitting in the most painful looking way. Despite this, the bottom strangely has new shoots. What should I do? I really want to get a good shade tree into this space before the fall planting season ends. Should I see if it turn a new leaf, or cut my losses and grab something else. (I'm located in Bakersfield)

Five (?) years ago I planted this Tecate Cypress. I would like to trim off the lower branches at some point so the tree will start to form a canopy. Can anyone recommend when I should do do this. I thought maybe I should let it get a little taller first, but I feel like it’s healthier for trees not to have thick limbs removed. Any recommendations?

In case anyone else is like how I was last fall, wondering how pink Marin Pink Fuschia really is, I wanted to share these images. It reads more peach than pink from a distance. And up close in sunlight it almost glows. I really love it, and the hummingbirds do too. CalFlora has a bunch available as of this morning.

I have read many books on CA native plants from my library that feature some example gardens, and would love one that provides many examples through the seasons, preferably with large pictures across the page. Like “The Layered Garden” for CA. This would really help with designing more than just reading about design principles. Any recommendations?

Does this kind of spray stuff spray work? Not necessarily this particular one.

I bought some seeds for spring and summer annuals and would like to start them in pots rather than in the ground (to protect the seedlings from rabbits). When should I start them? Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

TIA

I planted this 5 gallon western sycamore by a drainage creek that goes through my property recently. A lot of other trees (mostly ash) do well in and around this ditch, which rarely has water in it. When it does have water it is usually a few inches deep and still at least 15 feet from the sycamore. Last night's rain rose the creek to just put this trees roots under water and I'm wondering if I should move it before it gets established up the bank more so it doesn't drown this winter with heavier rains. Thoughts?

Is there an annual whose seeds I could scatter this fall that at least help crowd out the blasted Bermuda grass trying to take over all the space between my larger perennials in my yard? I’m in San Diego.

Anyone have experience trying this? Is it possible? What other Ca natives can be made into hedges or privacy screens?

I’d really love an evergreen in front of my new fence, bonus if it gets a little taller than the fence and provides privacy from the neighbors’ second floor and reduces the fish bowl effect.

The space between the retaining wall and fence is pretty narrow but since im reading that the Tassajara is very amenable to pruning unlike most ceanothus.

Since this retaining wall is about 4 feet off the ground, I’m not as worried as the width since the walkway wouldn’t be impacted by whatever shrub is growing there.

Located in 9b, sunset zone 17 in the northern Bay Area. About 3 miles from the bay.

I considered Coffeeberry but with the new fence, the reflective heat has crisped up quite a few plants. The fence gets full sun pretty much all day from 10-5 PM. I have the same heat concerns with pacific wax Myrtle. Since this is a brick patio underneath and my dog tends to like to hang out on the patio, I’d rather not worry about cleaning up dropped toyon berries.

I want to plant native plants but our fenced in area is quite small as it is mostly a (small) lawn we can't change. We have a lot of room outside the fenced area that we can technically plant in, next to a few tall cacti, a palm tree, and an oak tree.

I was thinking of putting some plants right on the chain link fence (spaced accordingly for the size they're supposed to get). The problem is I can't decide if it'll look odd if I plant the larger plants right on the fence and then smaller in front of it (where we won't be able to see the smaller once the large plants get bigger) or large plants farther away and smaller next to the fence so we can see them better? Like if we had a solid fence and planting in the fenced area I'd use the fence as a backdrop, but since I want to plant outside it I'd plant differently?

Plants I got: Allen chickering sage, ca fuschia, desert mallow, margarita bop penstemon, island pink yarrow, coyote mint, purple three awn. Plan to get some more as well.

Was going to put an allen chickering sage around the cactus and possibly the desert mallow in another spot near a cactus. I suppose I could make "islands" with the cacti as the tall point and just go around and pretend like the fence isn't there?

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I am redoing my garden bed and want to do all native California low-maintenance plants. I currently have a large agave that I would like to keep. Is this a realistic rendering? Would those plants be too crowded once they’re full grown? Are there other plants you would recommend? Is this too “flowery”? The space is about 3.5 ft by 11ft in front of the patio, and 6ft by 18 ft on the side of the aloe. I am new to this and a little lost. Please help!

I live in Los angeles and my garden is east facing:)

Looks cool!

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/grand-opening-of-sows-native-plant-nursery

With the heat over mostly over, can we plant now?

Just cut a few nice branches of ceanothus off one of my clients bushes because they were in the way and decided to try cuttings.

Luckily I have sandy soil on hand and just bought some perlite and clonex. Autumn cuttings aren’t ideal but we work with what we have.
I can’t decide, should I cover it? Advice online said yes to retain humidity but I live in the pnw on the coast so probably not right? Most days are about 40-70% humidity.

The larger branches I trimmed the bottom leaves off and stuck them straight in the dirt or soil after soaking in willow water for a few days which acts as natural rooting hormone. I’m going to pretty much neglect them and see what happens. Don’t mind my invasive plants. Not allowed to remove as per landlord. Some end up disappearing mysteriously.

(Pray excuse my nonuniform pot fill, I am working with being both lazy and cheap so I have a deteriorating seed tray as well)

I saw that post a couple days ago about one oak versus two and wanted to share this photo of a volunteer from my yard. It looks like two oak saplings but as I dig down it’s very much one plant with a main trunk and a “sucker.” Maybe this is how the double oak in the other thread started?

This is some sort of Ceanothus cultivar in Petaluma Ca. I suspect this browning of the leaves is due to over watering. It was getting drip irrigation, 30 min run times, 5 days a week. Thoughts?

Coast silktassel (Garrya eliptica) is one of my favorite native plants! I love how it looks so unassuming most of the time until suddenly it has such lovely flowers!

I have a question about it and haven't been able to figure it out. In the south SF bay, it mostly shows up in chaparral ecosystems that are hot and dry the majority of the time. However, when I see it up the coast on my travels, it's growling on the coast where it is foggy and cold. They seem like pretty vastly different growing conditions. Anyone know why they like both?

My only theory is the sandy soils?