Winter 2018-2019 Newsletter

Crimson Sage Nursery in Winter

 

Here in The Klamath River Valley we feel those first glimmers of Spring quite early, so when January had several dry sunny weeks, I was soaking up the Spring energy in the air. Song birds singing in the bare branches, daffodils budding and even some eggs in the chicken coop. The first large round of cool weather seeds was planted, and plans were laid for a large sowing with the new moon of early February! A few days were so warm I was truly feeling a sense of urgency to get things planted maybe even some peas in my garden too.

Then February arrived with plenty of non-stop rain and colder and colder temperatures culminating in serious snow (for us that means 6 inches or so) even here at valley bottom. Temperatures have stayed cold and power was out for 5 days!! Here we are in mid-February and those early seedlings are just starting to peek out! Despite frigid greenhouse temps in the 40s, the California Poppies, Ashitaba from home-saved seed and Chicory, Maca, Skullcap and Feverfew are up and growing slowly. In the meantime, the first round of Spilanthes, Tulsi and such sat without their heat mat in frigid conditions for 5 days and seem fine but a bit disgruntled!

California is having a real Winter and as a nursery owner who knows the timing of when things need to be planted and growing the weather is not cooperating at all. To counter my stress over the weather which is fully out of my control I have been taking my nervines and trying to relax into this much needed gift of water and snowpack for drought starved California. I am hoping that our coming fire season is far less destructive, and I know that when the sun does come out fully one of these days it will be a lot higher in the sky and have a lot of warmth as we get closer to Spring Equinox each day!

 

Propagation

 

At Crimson Sage the plants we ship you are sturdy and well acclimated for many reasons. One major reason is we never use artificial lighting which in my opinion does not produce the sturdiness and adaptability we strive for in the plants we produce. We do use electric heat mats only for those plants that require warmth for germination and once they sprout the natural warmth of the greenhouse is ample. Using artificial lighting for plants has never seemed necessary, is very consumptive of electricity and I believe plants grown in natural sunlight are stronger in order to withstand the stress of shipping and ready to plant in your gardens!