Ojai:
Garden Builder
Ojai: General Information
Location:
Ojai is nestled in a valley in-between the Topatopa Mountains, thus giving Ojai arid, and very hot summers with cool, wet winters. Ojai is also surrounded by the north end of the Los Padres National Forest, and is near Lake Casitas.
Climate:
Ojai has a Mediterranean climate, with arid summers and mild winters. The heat in the summer can be unbearable, and reach 90-100ºF! Thus making it important to plant drought tolerant, and water conserving plants that can withstand little water, and high temperatures.
Environmental Issues:
Ojai faces several different environmental issues such as:
-Wildfire
-Drought
-Air pollution
-Drastic temperature spikes
Planting Tips + Tricks
Plant in the fall through spring, your success rate will be much higher than mid summer planting due to high temperatures drying out and/or causing young plants to get sunburnt.
When planting, avoid the heat of the day (noon) and heat waves!
Backfill with moist soil when planting to ensure the plants are receiving a good amount of water.
When establishing a plant they will need more water than once they are older/established.
Ensure to make a note of any differing micro-climates in your yard that don’t conform to average climate conditions (i.e. full sun site but even hotter than average due to reflected sun from walls).
Water deeply to reach the bottom of the root ball to ensure the young plants are well watered, as young plants need more water than older plants.