Northern California howdy

[chickens_on_mars]

Hello to all, my name is Brian and happy to be here.
I'm looking forward to learning lots here and will help with info when I can.
I've a huge interest in my local native plants, but living in what is called the "Emerald Triangle" means I'm not hiking the back-counrty in the summer or fall.
Packs of seed are due to arrive over the next few weeks so I will most likely want to talk germination protocols soon.
Cheers...

[AmyO]

Welcome to the forum...Chicken!! We'll be looking forward to hearing what you're sowing and growing!

[Hoy]

Hello Brian! A question - or rather two: Why should living in the "Emerald triangle" prevent you from hiking in the back country?  And why is that piece of CA called the "Emerald triangle" (think I have a clue, though)?

I'm living at the rain forest coast of Norway and need a machete to take a stroll in the garden when I return home from my summer escapades but that doesn't hinder me from travelling!

[Fermi]

Howdy to you, too, Brian!
Looks like you appreciate Karel Capek's work as well by the look of your "avatar".
Being in the "Green Triangle" does that mean you can grow just about anything?
cheers
fermi

[cohan]

Hi and welcome!
Emerald triangle? Does that refer to some illicit crops??
Native plants are wonderful, and California is certainly richly blessed!

[RickR]

Hi Brian,
Nice to see you here!

I usually take a week of vacation in October and go hiking around our cabin in northern Minnesota.  I get a little apprehensive then, as it is hunting season and most of the locals are out in the woods, too.  But certainly nothing like what you might encounter!

Lots of good info in the Seed Starting Chronicles 2011 and Seed Starting Chronicles 2012 threads.



P.S. I always wondered if people down under say "howdy"....

[chickens_on_mars]

Spot on Fermi, Capek is a big favorite of mine, RUR, War With the Newts, The Absolute at Large and not to forget among many other fun books A Gardeners Year, illustrated by his brother Josef.
As to the ET ref ahem... This is possibly the weirdest part of the world I have ever lived. Up can often be down, and what is legally wrong is right to the voters, police and county that would love to tax it. To sum it up, too many pot growers and their guns are destroying Mendocino National Forest. It is very dangerous to come near a grow, they shoot first and patrol the roads hearsing people. Ah well a strange place.
Brian

[Fermi]

P.S. I always wondered if people down under say "howdy"....

Of course we do, Rick, we grew up on American TV! My previous partner's family lived in the country and that was the typical form of greeting.

Brian,
I had similar problems in Louisiana where venturing out into the wilds during deer-shooting (doesn't count as 'hunting' if it just involves laying bait and shooting the first critter that comes to feed!) season meant risking your life!
Stick to gardening, I say.
cheers
fermi

[Lori S.]

Wow, scary stuff, Brian! 
Can't wait to see some of those California native plants... when it's safe for you to hike around out there, that is!  Welcome to the forum.

[Tim Ingram]

Brian - hello from the UK! I am learning more about the wonderful Californian flora so will be interested by your experiences. I have seen several references to Karel Capek now and haven't read him; I must remedy that. We used to grow Datisca cannabina, a very dramatic perennial and cannabis look-a-like...never tried cannabis though, sounds a wee bit dangerous!

[RickR]

I'm not sure Datisca cannabina would fool anyone up here. 
I think more people are fooled by the False aralia houseplant (Dizygotheca).

Although not common, Canabis (not the good stuff) grows wild here.  And when I was growing up, the neighbors grew the sensemilla strain in the county park...

[stephenb]

Spot on Fermi, Capek is a big favorite of mine, RUR, War With the Newts, The Absolute at Large and not to forget among many other fun books A Gardeners Year, illustrated by his brother Josef.

I was loaned "A Gardeners Year" by a Norwegian colleague at work and told I HAD to read it and am thoroughly enjoying it...not sure how I missed Capek all those years....