Show Notes
Have you ever wanted to grow your own native plants? Where can you get California native seeds? Should you sow them directly in the ground or start them in pots? Is there anything you should do to the seeds before planting them? What time of year should they be planted? How should the soil be prepared? What are some common mistakes to avoid? What are some good plants to start with? Is this the end of the lawn as we know it?
Join me and restoration ecologist Dr. Julia Michaels as we explore Hedgerow Farms, which grows native wildflower and grass seed for ecological restoration projects. In the first half of the episode, learn how native seed is produced on a large scale at the farm, and in the second half, find out how you can use native seeds to grow thriving native plants and increase the biodiversity of your own backyard.
Special thanks to Alejandro Garcia, Jeff Quiter, and Manolo Sanchez for taking the time to show me around the farm!
Links:
Hedgerow Farms: So much California native seed!
Bloom California: Find a local native plant nursery.
Calscape: California native plant landscaping tool.
Calflora: Database providing information on California native plants in the wild.
Research on wild seeds becoming domesticated over time.
Lost Beneath Lake Berryessa: More information on the Monticello Dam and the town of Monticello! Also photos by Dorothea Lange.
My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com
You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist.
Patreon support helps a ton! Check out the perks here: www.patreon.com/michellefullner
The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it here.
More from Golden State Naturalist
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Humans have been fascinated by islands since the writing of the earliest works of literature, but the outsized role they play in our imaginations isn't limited to fiction. Islands make up only a tiny percentage of the land on earth, but they represent about a fifth of the planet's total biodiversity. And things stranger than fiction happen on islands, from the evolution of miniature mammoths and enormous flightless birds with no fear of humans to the illumination of the theory of evolution itself. Join me and two experts, Kevin Alison and John Knapp, as we trundle along island roads deep into the unique ecology of Santa Catalina Island and discuss giant buckwheats, tiny foxes, and what islands have to teach us about the living world back on the mainland. Links: Recommended reading: Song of the Dodo by David Quammen Fremontia issue on CA Islands Ways to support the pod: Get 15% off your order of California native seeds from the California Collection by Nature’s Seed by using the code Golden15 at checkout. Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. Sources: Penglai: https://www.npm.gov.tw/Exhibition-Content.aspx?sno=04010138&l=2 Island landmass: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1306309110 Island biodiversity: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8556160/ Plant endemism on islands: https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10565488 Global extinctions on islands and success of invasive species removal: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-14982-5 Bird extinctions: https://datazone.birdlife.org/articles/many-bird-species-have-already-gone-extinct Island role in biological and linguistic diversity: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274380594_The_Importance_of_Islands_for_the_Protection_of_Biological_and_Linguistic_Diversity House cat origins: https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/28/science/domestic-cats-origins-ancient-dna Miscellany: The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here. Episode cover photo by Michelle Fullner
The pod is going stronger than ever, but it's also part of a larger picture than ever, which means a little shuffle is in order. Have a listen to find out the specifics. I'll see you on the next full episode soon!
The golden hills of California are hiding things. At first glance, grasslands like these ones appear to be simple systems. And to some degree, they are simplified versions of their precolonial selves, but they’re also home to thousands of species of native plants that support an intricate ecology. Look a little closer, peer between the swishing blades, know what to look for, and you’ll see not only a mesmerizing web of life but also California’s history written in the grass. Come with me and Dr. Justin Luong of UC Berkeley as we explore a California grassland and discuss the past, present, and future of an ecosystem vital to both biodiversity and human wellbeing. Links: Justin’s website The Colonial Roots of Black Mustard Get 15% off your order of California native seeds from the California Collection by Nature’s Seed by using the code Golden15 at checkout. Speak up for California’s public lands with CalWild. Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here. Production support by Laine Kaplan Levenson. Episode cover photo by Michelle Fullner.
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