All signs are pointing to a strong El Nino event in 2015 which means much-needed record rain the Southwestern United States.
Recent observations from NASA and NOAA have shown that this year’s El Nino is strengthening and could rival, and possibly surpass, the 1997 El Nino event that saw Los Angeles receive 31 inches of rain. That's an increase of 210% above the normal seasonal rainfall.
So, what does this all mean for your landscape?
For starters, your water deprived landscape can finally catch a break. Years of drought in California have prevented the natural flow of water from entering the soil and pushing much-needed nutrients into the roots of trees and plants.
Another benefit of El Nino is the combination of the fall and winter planting seasons. We’re lucky to be in Southern California where we have two ideal planting seasons. Common rhetoric is that spring is the best time to plant. That may be true. However, it’s not the ideal time to plant.
The most ideal time to plant is in the fall and winter. Plants and shrubs do not produce top growth in the cooler months. Instead, they focus on root development. El Nino will dump copious amounts of rain on your landscape and trees and plants in the ground will root in stronger because of the added water and cooler weather. Once spring arrives, your tree or plant will already have a solid root system. With the root system established, the tree or plant can focus its energy on top growth. Trees planted now will have more than enough time to grow a shade canopy before the summer heat arrives.
For even further growth and results, you can fertilize your newly planted trees and plants, which will produce robust growth in the spring.
Many residents in Southern California are starting to take note of the upcoming El Nino and are preparing their landscapes with scores of new trees and plants. Because of this windfall our delivery trucks are starting to overloaded with orders.
You are not going to want to miss out on this opportunity to give your landscape an ideal planting condition we have not seen since 1997.
Start dreaming up that perfect landscape and visit us at our Moon Valley Nursery locations. Our experts are always on hand to assist with you any questions and needs you may have. We also do free design consultations so our experts can help you create your dream landscape.
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