So, in my dream universe, you plant your native perennials and shrubs, and the wind blows in some beautiful native annuals. Or maybe you scatter some seeds you collected and in the spring, the wildflower meadow delights and impresses everyone.
In reality, now that the ground has been disturbed in my front yard, and the rains have started, the weeds are, pun intended, having a field day. The previous owners had an annual geranium and the kind of weedy native eriogonum, and those sprout like mad. I've spread 3-5 inches of wood chip mulch, but these two plants don't find that a problem. An interesting discovery, and an interesting contrast with some natives I've scattered under 1-2 inches of mulch and that never made it.
Now my goal is to pull at least 50 a day. I figure that's 500 in ten days, 1000 in twenty, and maybe I'll be able to stay on top of things this way. I do believe it will be easier next year, and even easier the year after. But for now, I'm trying to enjoy the 15 minutes of deep breathing and being with my plants every day. I listen to the birds, notice progress with the perennials and shrubs, and tell myself it was a smart move to go native while my back and knees don't yet mind those 15 minutes a day too much.
As for the annuals, I've ordered a seeds from http://www.theodorepayne.org/. Right now, I certainly can't scatter them--how would I know what to pull and what to keep? But I will instead plant them in pots and cover them with chicken wire to deter the bird.
I hope that in a few months, I'll post my own photos of these beauties. Meanwhile, let's see how many weeds I can pull tomorrow...
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