These Desert Chia seeds popped up last Sunday after being planted a few weeks before. The wildflower sprouts the first massive TMAD bloom, which is our rendition of the great Antelope Valley Bloom.
Each year in a small preserve near the Mojave Desert called Antelope Valley, many dormant CA poppy seeds spring to life and fill the dry grass with a colorful scape of flowers. During late March-mid April, the temperatures start to heat up the ground, while left over rain storms still bring in occasional rain. This provides the perfect conditions for wildflowers to bloom.
It's not even just California Poppies that are here. There are a wide array of flowers, such as Lupines, Daisies, and desert Chia.
What even is a Chia? A chia is a plant in the mint family, which also happens to include sage and Salvia Flowers. Sometimes, Chia seeds are harvested to make a special meal called chia pudding. Chia is found naturally in the desert. However, there are two types: desert chia and normal chia. Normal Chia (also called Common Chia) is harvested commercially
Desert chia is wild, but their seeds look the same and are also edible. Since we were able to obtain the desert chia seeds, Common Chia was planted. But it doesn't matter what variety we plant because the flowers are very similar. Chia is annual, meaning it sticks around for less than a year and then dies. However, before it dies, it releases seeds, so the next generation of chia can sprout next year. The bloom in the TMAD is expected to happen April 15 - May 15. After that, the temperature will increase, burning off the plants, but keeping the seeds for next year.
TMAD weather predictions (3 Days)
Mar 2
L: 38
H:49
Mar 3
L:40
H:51
Mar 4
L:45
H:55
Speaking of recreating the Mojave, did you know that it can snow in the desert? In the winter, when temperatures reach below 32 degrees, it does snow. However, the desert only gets an average of one inch of snow per year.
If you go onto Google Maps, you can see that the Mojave borders the Sierra Nevada, which gets a decent amount of snow each year. In this picture, you can see the Joshua Trees and the mountains in the background.
We were thinking about recreating this phenomenon by a small snow maker. Because we cannot get our desert as cold as it normally gets in the Mojave, we might be using a simple foam sprayer to make the snow. These snow machines are non toxic to plants, and won't melt in the TMAD. Also, they are much smaller and cheaper, whereas snow machines that make actual snow are meant for ski resorts.
However, the snow machine does cost a lot, so we'll have to save up.
Also, we were also thinking of recreating the desert's low humidity during rainstorms by putting a fan. Normally, the desert is low in humidity because it is far from the ocean. In addition, nearby mountains in the high desert make the desert very windy. Here in the coast, when cold air sits, humidity is gained. When it's windy, the humidity decreases.
Comentarios