Wet weather works wonders for plants More storms on tap; greenery is ‘loving it’
By: Robert Krier

Sporadic storms this winter haven’t exactly been ideal for outdoor parties — unless you’re a plant. Backyard specimens, native species on hillsides and weeds everywhere have been soaking up the atmosphere.

Rains in November and December, followed by the big storms that saturated the county in mid-January, have helped moisture seep deep into the soil. Occasional storms since have been spaced perfectly for the maximum benefit of countless plants, horticultural experts say.

Storms over the next week should help keep the botanical bonanza going. Rain is expected to taper off this afternoon, then pick up again tomorrow morning. Coastal areas could get another quarter- to half-inch of rain by Monday, and another storm could arrive next weekend.

Plants are “just loving it,” local botanist Mitchel Beauchamp said.

“I haven’t seen weed and native plants crank like this in my whole life,” said Beauchamp, 63. He wrote the book “A Flora of San Diego County” in 1986 and has been studying plants regionally since he was 18.

“We’ve seen nettles down in Baja about a meter high. We’ve never seen them that big.”

Unlike some previous wet winters, the rain hasn’t come all at once. That has kept the soil from getting too compacted, which can be a problem for many plants. Many native manzanitas died a couple of years ago because the soil was too wet, said Beauchamp, who is also National City’s treasurer.

“There’s been just enough moisture to keep everything moving forward,” he said. “It’s optimal.”

Backyard gardeners and tree farmers are benefiting, too, said Vincent Lazaneo, an urban horticulture adviser for the University of California Cooperative Extension. Moisture seeping deep into soil not only helps root systems, it helps leach out harmful minerals. Water delivered to the area from Northern California or the Colorado River is often high in salts.

“Rain is the most effective way of removing salts in the soil, and moving them down past the root zone,” Lazaneo said.

Farmers can save thousands of dollars by putting off costly irrigation, he said. Homeowners, too, won’t need to turn on their sprinklers anytime soon, even after the rains have stopped, Lazaneo said. The days are still short, and even if the soil looks dry, there’s probably enough moisture for many trees and shrubs at root depth.

He suggests taking a shovel and digging down 6 to 8 inches. If the soil there is wet, there’s no need to water. In general, if you can squeeze the soil into a ball, there’s enough moisture for the plants, he said.

The winter’s well-timed rains have had a few downsides, as anyone who has had to wield a hoe this season can attest. Non-native invasives, otherwise known as weeds, are sprouting up everywhere and thriving.

On the plus side, those weeds can improve filtration and help move moisture deep into the soil, Lazaneo said. But those same weeds compete with desirable plants for water and nutrients.

The explosion of vegetation in the backcountry will also lead to the inevitable warnings from firefighters about increased dangers late in the summer and fall, Beauchamp said.

But for now, Lazaneo said it’s shaping up to be a great spring, both in the yard and in the wild.

“It seems to be going in that direction,” he said. “It depends on how long it lasts. If we get the rains well into the spring, that will be helpful.”