Jordan Wine Country Table - Vol. 18, 2023 - 8

they have evolved here, in a place where it doesn't rain from
May to November. When you find a plant blooming in late
fall, that hasn't seen water in months, it's really fascinating.
But, it has gotten much harder to get the plants established. "
Synk and his colleagues from Pollinator Partnership visited
the Jordan sanctuaries for their first post-planting survey in fall
of 2021.
" The number of plants that were alive really impressed me, "
Synk says. " Of course, we're all disappointed when we don't
have a high rate of survival. But when you factor in this level
of drought, it's hard to imagine anything would have survived.
These plants are quite resilient. They surprise me every year. "
Pollinator Partnership estimates that a pollinator sanctuary
planted and sowed under ideal weather conditions should have
an average success rate of at least 75% after one year. At Jordan,
the planting survey found 23% of plants thriving in one
sanctuary, about 18% in two others and just 5% in the sanctuary
dedicated mostly to milkweed for monarchs. Top-performing
plants included lupine species and California poppy, which
support hummingbirds and bees; Western goldenrod, blue-eyed
grass and coyote brush, which support native bees; and narrow
leaf milkweed and yarrow, which support butterflies. Some
patches of monkey flower, penstemon and fuchsia had survival
rates in the hummingbird sanctuary of 90%.
Young remains optimistic. " When we plant a pumpkin or
a tomato in the garden, we know what's going to work, " Young
says. " We introduced all of these species that were not here before
and even if we are reestablishing natives, they had disappeared
for a reason. The scale for success is totally different when you're
working with plants you've never grown before. We have learned
so much, and we aren't giving up. We will keep trying. "
Besides the drought, another hurdle Young must overcome
is getting the native plants to regrow in wild meadows where
wild oats-the ubiquitous, invasive grass that gives California's
golden hills their summer color-have been the dominant plant
species for decades or longer.
Located on the fall migratory
route of the Western monarchs,
Jordan Estate is now the largest
dedicated pollinator habitat of all
Bee Friendly Farming-certified
vineyards nationwide, according
to Pollinator Partnership.
Learn more by searching " pollinator "
at jordanwinery.com.
8
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Jordan Wine Country Table - Vol. 18, 2023

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