The 2020 nursery season fast approaches
Tweedy’s lewisia (Lewisiopsis tweedyi) will make its stunning appearance before long
In fact, the nursery season for Derby Canyon Natives is well underway! With the lack of snow at our elevation and fairly mild temperatures we began nursery operations earlier then ever in late February. Much of the next three+ months will be taken up with transplanting plants of all sizes, including new seedlings.
A vine maple (Acer circinatum) patiently awaits transplanting
I’m fortunate to have a fine group of experienced employees who make the nursery hum; in particular, nursery operations would struggle without Juan (21st year) and Jeff (15th), and even I would then have to work hard! I’m so pleased to have other veteran returnees including Brianna, Erin, Ofelia and Trigger.
Trigger with her driver, Bree (let’s not alert the nursery safety officer, okay?)
This year we are planning to grow almost 50% more plants than ever before, largely driven by new contracts, so we have expanded the growing area once again.
After pear harvest last fall, we removed a block of trees to make way for another hoop house along the entrance to the nursery.
We rented an excavator to pull the stumps, remove the top soil and create a level site before erecting the new structure.
The new hoop house, seen here in action in early March, is essential to our 2020 plans.
We are facing other changes in the little town of Peshastin. The increasingly poor economics of pear production in this area are pushing growers to leave farming and, in some cases, to remove their orchards. The largest neighbor to the nursery recently pulled out over 40 acres of pears adjacent to us, with houses to follow; we’ll adapt.
Juan mixes growing media with the pulled and piled pears behind him
We will be opening for retail sales beginning Friday, April 3rd, and will be open Fridays 9-5 and Saturdays 8-12 through June. I hope many of you can come by, we’d love to show you around!
UPDATE March 21st: Due to the COVID-19 risk, we will be open by appointment only for the foreseeable future. Please contact us at least 24 hours in advance and we will gather your order and have them ready for pickup.
I can’t forget one other new employee, Shop Assistant and Vertebrate Control Specialist, Nico.
On the plus side: works for food On the negative side: doesn’t work much and gets in the way
