Tales from a Planting Ninja

By Oliwia Baney from AE/SCA Alternative Spring Break 2012, Joshua Tree National Park.

A pressing point which I missed in my last post is the concept of "dry water". I have been to many different laboratories, but never have I seen a substance as strange and fascinating as dry water. Looking like something straight out of a NASA experiment (and it probably is), dry water is a clear jelly-like substance made of cellulose and water.

As well as being weird and fun to work with, it is used to slowly deliver water to the roots of a plant. This extra boost will help newly transplanted plants survive the harsh environment long enough to take solid root. If a plant can survive the extreme winds and animals searching for sustenance, then it will eventually live long enough to become independent.

And then your baby Joshua Tree is finally all set!

After burying this next to the plant, we put up a protective fence and dirt barrier to catch rainwater in, water it some more…

The concept of physical labor is something that easily gets lost in a college environment. And while initially I had my reservations about the sheer amount of work involved in taking tools, plants and water up and down rocky hills and then using them, this was quickly overshadowed after planting my first plant. This kind of work is very rewarding in the sense that it gives you a tangible feeling of success, something you can see and touch as a physical result of your efforts. This makes the work put in all the more worth it, and it just seems so much more real than any paper or online homework ever could.

In the end we succeeded in transplanting 200 plants between these 2 past days! By this point, I feel pretty much like a planting ninja.

How-to Plant a Tree in the Desert

By Jonathan Shafer from AE/SCA Alternative Spring Break 2012, Joshua Tree National Park.

It occurred to me after I finished yesterday’s post that you might wonder just how we went about planting trees across that burned out ridge. Since we spent today “plowing” the same ground, I decided to provide a step by step explanation of just what goes in to planting a Joshua Tree.

1. Dig a Hole. It sounds simple, but, here in the desert, the ground fights back. Using tools ranging from a pick-axe, to shovels, to our gloved hands, we worked steadily to provide these seedlings with permanent homes.
2. Place plant in the hole. Once you’ve vanquished the desert dirt, the next step is to remove the seedling from its sheath, and give it a hearty drink of water.
3. Dry Water. Does it sound like an oxymoron? It isn’t, it’s science. Using a hydrated form gelatin, the Park Service provides enough water for every plant to last two months. It’s a good thing too; Joshua Tree National Park gets less than 12 inches of water annually.
4. Fill the Hole. Though the task itself is pretty simple, sometimes things get complicated by the appearance of animals like scorpions around the hole.
5. Install Theft Prevention System. Rough as things are in the desert, I suppose we can’t blame the rodents who live around here for nibbling at our seedlings, but, if they were allowed to have their way, none of the plants would make it to adulthood. Sorry boys, you’ll have to find your food someplace else.
6. Happily Gaze on Your Progeny. Like any proud parent, it takes a while to let go, but, all good things must come to an end.

After planting, several of us went bouldering on the rock face that overlooks our campsite. Climbing steadily, we reached the top of the formation after about 30 minutes. Looking out over the desert, we were struck by the immensity of the Park, and just how small our camp is in it. Feel free to take a look at the picture posted here to see just what we saw from up there.