Costa Hummingbird on a Saliva clevelandii Alpine. Native plants support native birds and butterflies.

Las Pilitas Nursery

California Native Plants are all we grow!

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3232 Las Pilitas Rd
Santa Margarita, CA 93453

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This website is dedicated to Bert Wilson. His genius continues to inspire us.

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How to plant 10 native plants in 10 minutes.

Scrape off the coiled roots, do not destroy the root ball, just make it so the roots are not in tight coiled ball. Use one finger, do not rip the poo out of it. Just give it the finger. - grid24_12
Dig the hole. Scrape the edge of the root ball with a finger.(done here in one motion as planted).
put the plant in the hole at the right depth - grid24_12
Make sure the top of the root ball is slightly higher than grade level. (Maybe 3-4 mm or 1/4 inch.)
grid24_12
Back fill with native soil. (The dirt that was there.)
Tamp next to plant after planting. Do not step on plant... - grid24_12
Tamp (to about grade level). You can leave a little 'mound' where the insole is.
Place rock next to plant. This helps moderate moisture and soil temperature. - grid24_12
Place rock (if needed).
Place the rock next to the plant - grid24_12
Tap rock.
spreading mulch in action - grid24_12
Place good mulch (if appropriate).
spreading mulch - grid24_12
The mulch next to plant before you spread it.
Water by hose then sprinkler.
Everyone seems to have problems with the watering when they first plant native plants.
The 'standard' in the trade is to water once a day with drip for 10 minutes. This kills most native plants in about 3-5 years.
If you water with a hose (in easy locations like San Francisco) or sprinkler, check with a shovel or your finger every week or so at first then every once in awhile as you figure out what is what, you should end up with plants that look good for decades.
an old photo of a mulched Sage - grid24_12
In this picture, the water has gone 3 inches in 5 hours. If the soil is dry, REALLY WATER!!!!!! HEY, IF THE SOIL IS WET, and raining, DON'T WATER.. Hose water 0-30 gallons, and sprinkler water 0-24 hours depending upon time of year and soil conditions.
The first watering is 50% of the watering that the new plant will need.
After watering for about 1 hour the water only made it down a few inches. Until you get the hang of it check after you water. - grid24_12
After watering for 8 hours the water has only gone down 4 inches. In some places it will be 3 feet, others, a centimeter.
Check with a shovel. You may think you watered, but it may be very dry.
Salvia clevelandii, Alpine cleveland sage makes a small border or hdege. Native to San Diego and up into Riverside County it will grow in most of California with little or no water. - grid24_12
The resulting Salvia clevelandii, Alpine Cleveland sage