Sowing seeds for grassland restoration

All our seed is collected within the watershed for our restoration projects. This year, in addition to growing for our regular restoration projects, we will grow approximately 3200 grass plugs for increase plots on a neighboring property owned by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. Once planted and growing, we can harvest the seed in a way that resembles farming.

First we mix vermiculite and a peat/coir mix.



I mix 3 parts vermiculite to 1 part peat/coir. This mix is moistened until it feels like a moist sponge and holds together when squeezed in your hand but shouldn't drip water. We fill seed trays with the mix and press down on top with an empty seed tray to create small dimples to lay the seeds in.

The seeds shown above are blue wild rye (Elymus glaucus). One of four species we are growing for the increase plots. The other species are California oat grass (Danthonia californica), hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), and nodding needlegrass (Nassella cernua).


Shown above is the "toothpick method" of covering up the seeds. Rule of thumb is most seeds are covered approximately 2x the diameter of the seed. The equation can be difficult to judge. This is where the toothpick comes in. Slide the toothpick around the edges of the cell to dislodge and move the mix to the center and over the seed. Gently press for good seed to soil contact. If you can see the seed, place a bit more mix on top.

These amazing and wonderful Elkhorn Slough volunteers and staff demonstrate the joy of propagation. It's a party in the greenhouse.

Grow seeds grow!

Thank you Santa Cruz work crew!

10 youth from Santa Cruz helped out at the Slough this week. They removed invasive weeds around one of our freshwater ponds and worked a roadside fuel reduction project for fire safety. They were such a great crew to work with and we accomplished so much.

For me, working with people who are a bit apprehensive about this kind of work is a welcome challenge. The quick conversations, questions and answers, small freakouts over bugs. . .I love it. It's a bit more work usually, to motivate or explain, but I have to believe that the rewards will come later in ways I'll never know.

Thank you Megan, Donna, Evan, Chemo, Gabriel, Juan, Jose, Jovan, Terrance, Shane and supervisors Gerry and Gabrielle.

Restoration Dilemmas

In restoration, there are times I find myself in a dilemma. What am I managing for? Which path should I take? So many roads to take. No right answers. Nothing clear cut. I seek out the experts, try to take the best route.

I find there is no best route. I take a path. Hope for the best and accept the consequences. It's a judgement call.

In a hundred thousand years it won't matter; the little that I do. Why should it matter so much now? But it does.

a day at the nursery

The nursery might be my favorite part of my job. Collecting seed, sowing it, watching seedlings pop out of the soil and grow . . . it's hopeful. I work with amazing volunteers who spend valuable time and energy doing something good. They don't have to do this and they don't have to be here.

Others visit the nursery too. Prompted by the volunteers to find out who was munching the clarkia at the greenhouse demo garden, we set up our motion sensor camera. We caught this little deer walking through in the evening when everyone else had gone home.


I love it here. I love growing plants. I love tuning into the seasons and the micro-climates. I love the dedicated people who care.

fledgling barn swallows

Just today, under the eaves outside our research offices, fledged a family of barn swallows.

I had no idea when I started this job almost a year ago how much I would watch birds.

One little bird sat on the edge of a table so quiet and still. Still and quiet as I was, an adult boldly flew right in front of my face, trying to scare me off. Adult bird and baby bird were in the middle of something and I was not invited to the fledge party. Still I watched them as they sat on the gutters and looked around while parents flew back and forth, coaxing them out of the comfort of the courtyard.

under the oaks

I spent a day under the oaks monitoring what's growing. We had cows grazing last season, as they will again this season, on a small area of the Reserve. They ate the leaves on the oaks and everything underneath. I go on either side of the electric fence and write down what is there. I spooked an owl twice on my monitoring journey.

Then I spent some time weeding around the 500 or so plants we planted in the nasturtium. The bottom picture shows the native clusters of woodmint, mugwort, and beeplant thriving. I am totally jazzed about this project. The nasturtium is easy to pull. The ground is easy to plant in. The poison oak is far away. Volunteers helped in every step of this project so far. I'd like to double the planting next year.

native flowers bloom after cape ivy removed

These natives are flowering in an area once completely covered in cape ivy. Seeds lying in wait and persisting. Two of these, phacelia (top) and miniature lotus (bottom), are new to our Elkhorn Slough plant list. The miniature lotus is about 4 inches long and about an inch high. The flowers only a few millimeters. I find them because I crawl on my hands and knees to pull weeds and look closely at every plant about to flower. I think it's being so intimate with a new place and witnessing Spring. Even though I grew up in these hills, I didn't know these plants then. Now I am so close and familiar with them on a regular basis. It's like any new relationship - you can't wait to see them again.