Rainy Days

We love rainy days at Nature Nexus Institute because we can visit our favorite cozy coffee shop, sip hot chocolate, and catch up on computer work. Angelinos would beg to differ; many people from Los Angeles dislike the rain because it means they can’t do all their outdoor activities. I think I speak for everyone at NNI when I say, the only reason we dislike rainy days is that we know how many weeds are coming shortly after. It’s very shocking how rapidly these weeds grow. They grow so fast you’d think Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk planted them. Most of the weeds we get at the Baldwin Hills Parklands are mustard and radish that turn into fire fuel later in the summer when they dry up. We do our best to remove them when they’re just coming up, especially during the wet season because that means the soil is loose, hooray! Regardless of the fussy weeds, the rain is ALWAYS appreciated.

With so much rain we hold off on watering since the rain is enough to penetrate the soil and get to the roots of the plants. Our plants love the rain and it shows. Notice how our native plants are green and luscious during the wet season and brown and dry during the hot season. Many people see this and think they’re dead but this process is called summer dormancy when they drop their leaves to conserve energy.

Another great thing about the rain is that it fills up our vernal ponds at Ballona which are full of life during this time. Rainy days don’t last very long so it’s good to practice appreciation when we get them.

If you’re looking for some things to do during this time we offer a monthly restoration event at Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook which consists of weeding those mustards and radishes. We also have the first Saturday of the month at Ballona where you can witness the vernal pools yourself, or like us, visit your favorite coffee shop and catch up on your favorite show!