Re(2): Central Coast California
tonihawr@email.msn.com writes:
>Not being familiar with California - would you mind identifying your
>location
>a little more closely - and indicating if there is any fresh water (bays,
>rivers)
>close by that might also alter your climate ? How about the prevailing
>wind -
>from which direction ?
Here's the low down on my area of the Monterey Bay (Marina). This is a
bit long so bear with me:
Pretty much what Liz said about Oakland applies to the Monterey bay and
central coast in general (The Central coast of California generally
extends from Monterey bay at the northern extreme (Where I am at), to San
Louis Obispo about 100 or so miles to the south. My Specific area of the
Central Coast is USDA zone 9 and Sunset zone 17. Summers are usually foggy
and cool (60's to mid 70's usually, Farenheit), with Spring and Fall being
the warmest times of the year (we get our warmest days in Fall, and we've
had 100 degree days here in May for a couple of days a few years ago).
Winter is usually rainy, but on clear nights, temps can drop down to
freezing (as it did last night. I woke up to frost this morning), but
usually not below 28 degrees. The coldest winters we see temps drop into
the 20's (at least from what i've seen over the years). Some years we only
get a few nights of frost.
I live on the eastern shore of Monterey Bay, and we get winds from the
west usually. We are not protected like Monterey is, and we are one of the
foggiest spots on the bay, with lots of wind from the ocean in summer.
This is prime artichoke growing land (there are Artichoke fields not more
than a couple of miles from the outskirts of town. We really have no major
influence from freshwater sources, except for the smallish pond in town,
but it only affects it's immediate area (Home to lots of geese, ducks, and
other water fowl). Our soils are basically sandy with some organic matter
(very little. I can grow corn and pumpkins well without much fertilizer,
but yeilds are low). The specific area my house is situated was once Coast
Live Oak (Q. agrifolia) / chapparal habitat. In fact there are many native
plants just inches from the fence at the edge of the city.
We can grow spring flowering trees like cherries and plums, but often they
bud out with leaves as well as flowers. I have seen fruit trees in town so
we must get enough chill hours for those. Most people arent innovative in
what they grow though. It's usually common plants like roses, geraniums,
raphiolepsis, junipers, and your average annuals. I'm proably one of the
few gardeners in town that try to grow the more exotic plants like my
banana (I've only seen one banana in town and it's M. basjoo). I even
attemtped to grow an Archontophoenix.
