Planting Trees in San Francisco

The headline of this post may strike some as ill-timed.  Isn't it a terrible time to plant trees in San Francisco and the surrounding area because of the historic drought?  Won't any trees planted simply die from drought?  If the trees don't die from drought, won't any newly planted trees require a great deal of watering, eating up scarce time and scarce water?

The answer to all three of the questions is a resounding "No".  It is an excellent time to plant trees in the San Francisco area, because of new technology.  Over the last decade, a new device called the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon® (or Waterboxx for short) has been developed in Holland.  This device has been tested in the most extreme deserts on Earth (the Sahara, Ecuador, the Persian Gulf Arabian Desert), with incredible results.  When used as directed in these areas, 88-99% of Waterboxxes have a tree surviving after one year, with no further watering or work.  This Waterboxx planted tree is then resistant to further drought because of deep, Waterboxx induced roots.  The Waterboxx can then be reused on other trees.  This is all explained in the video below.

The Waterboxx is a simple appearing device that is actually quite complicated, using many ideas inspired by nature to collect, store, and distribute scarce water.  It's tan colored lid is actually modeled on a lotus leaf, and uses a special property called the lotus effect to prevent water from sticking to it.  This property allows dew and fog (famous in the San Francisco area) to be collected on by the surface of the Waterboxx and funneled into the green reservoir.  Once in the reservoir, the water can be contained for long periods, while being slowly released through a wick to the soil below.  This water percolates through the soil straight down into a column.  This column of water induces the tree's roots (which grow only where there is water, just like leaves grow only where there is sun) to grow straight down.   Once the tree's roots reach  deep into the ground, the tree will be far more resistant to drought because it has reached the capillary water stored in the soil.  See an explanation of capillary water here.

The Waterboxx can be used to plant one or two trees in the central "figure eight" opening of the Waterboxx.  If two trees are planted, the stronger of these trees is allowed to remain after 12-18 months, when the Waterboxx is removed and reused to plant other trees.  After planting, no other work is needed for that tree - no watering, no weeding, no mulching, until the Waterboxx is removed.  You can reuse the Waterboxx up to ten years.

You can see the incredible results of the Waterboxx around the world in the pictures below.

A beechwood tree's growth, in Ecuador, over just one year.  The Waterboxx allows all water to be used efficiently so sunlight and tree selection become the most important determinants of a trees growth.

You can hardly find a more arid place than the Sahara Desert, but the Waterboxx allowed these salt cedar trees to survive and thrive in an area almost nothing else did (in Morocco).

Growth of a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in Indiana over 2 years with the Waterboxx.  This tree hasn't been watered once by since planting, but still thrives far from its native range due to the Waterboxx.  

The most important thing to remember when planting trees with the Waterboxx is to plant small trees initially - about 2 foot tall saplings that are shipped bare root.  Most online nurseries sell these trees for between 5-10 dollars.  The most inexpensive site we have found is arborday.org.

The Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon provides tree lovers a way to plant trees even during drought, without having to water.  It can allow land owners or community organizations to truly green areas that are suffering due to tree or other wildlife loss.  The Waterboxx works for up to 10 years and 10 tree plantings, and is surprisingly affordable.  You can learn more or buy the Waterboxx here.

Trees to Plant in the Great Plains

The Western Great Plains is a beautiful and vital part of the north American landscape.  Recently, the high winds this flat area endures have made it of interest for wind farms, as shown by the wind map below.

Wind Resources Map, From U.S. Department of Energy, public domain.  Purple areas represent fastest wind speeds 

Wind turbines can be well over 300 feet tall (to access the fastest wind), but land owners tend to be concerned with wind closer to the ground causing erosion and property damage.  For this reason, many people chose to plant windbreaks.  What trees are best for the western Great Plains?  With the invaluable help of Mike Groenewold of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the following list was compiled.  We recommend planting all of the following trees and shrubs as saplings with the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon.

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) - You have almost certainly seen this extremely useful tree somewhere but not recognized it.  It has (toxic) pods that hold its seeds (similar to its distant cousin Thornless Honeylocust).  It can form deep roots if induced (with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon) that make it very drought tolerant.  This tree has large, extremely fragrant flowers in late spring for up to 10 days, and makes great honey if you have bees on your property.  This tree generally grows 40 to 50 feet high and about 30 feet wide.  The wood itself is extremely strong, and was once used to make ship nails!  However, due to the sharp angle at which the branches attach to the trunk, the branches can frequently break if there are not other windbreaks nearby.  This is one of the few trees that restores nitrogen to the soil, so it may improve nearby plant growth.  It does spread very easily vegetatively, however.  Younger trees would need to be protected from deer with Growsafes.  Black locust grows from zones 4-8 (most of the continental U.S.) You can buy this tree here.

Black Locust Tree (From NPS, public domain)

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) - This small tree (which rarely reaches over 16 feet in size).  It is important not to plant this within 500 feet of any peach or fruit orchards due to a disease that may be spread.

American Plum (Prunus americana) - This tree/shrub grows up to 15 feet in height, making it ideal for interplanting with black locust.  This plant does send up suckers, which can be unsightly but also help stabilize the soil.  This plant of course produces edible fruit, which has been eaten by native Americans for centuries.  Both white tailed and mule deer feed on the berries, and the dense shrubbery provide cover for them.

Common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) - This attractive shrub is also useful for interplanting between black locust or other taller trees. You can buy common ninebark shrubs here.  

Bur Oak  (Quercus marcocarpa) - This is a slow growing oak, which can be frustrating to many land owners.  However, the other advantages of this tree outweigh the costs, in our opinion.  This tree is more drought resistant than almost any other oak, and due to this fact can grow in the western Great Plains.  This tree grows 80 feet high and up to 80 feet wide, and can live for 400 years.  This tree can be bought, bare root and appropriate for planting with the Waterboxx, here.  

Bur Oak - this tree can be planted with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon and will never need to be watered again.  

These trees are felt to be invasive and should be avoided:
Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
White Mulberry (Morus alba)
Common Buckthrorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

As we noted above, we recommend planting bare root trees (saplings) with the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon - available here.

We would love to hear your comments below.

Weed Control with the Groasis Waterboxx

When planting trees or other plants, weed control in the root and canopy zone of the desirable plant is very important.  Weeds will naturally grow next to almost any planted tree or other plant, and rob the plant of water, sunlight, and nutrients.  The weeds can also serve as hosts for damaging insects and hide rodents that will feast on your plant.  While there may have been no weeds in the undisturbed soil before tree planting, the act of disturbing the soil and watering a new tree encourages weeds to also take root.

There were previously multiple options for weed control around new trees or other plants, none of them very good.  Herbicide could be sprayed at the base of the plant to kills weeds, but for most plants (unless glyphosate resistant) this could cause as much harm to desired plant as undesirable weeds.  Organic mulch could be used, but as this breaks down it forms a good soil into which weeds can grow.  Fabric can be used , but this tends to slowly puncture and weeds will find their way through it.  Recently, rubber mats have become popular, but these also keep rain from trickling down to the desired plants roots.

As none of these options were previously very good, something else needed to be found.  Enter the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon, or Waterboxx for short.  The Waterboxx was not invented as weed control - not at all.  The Waterboxx was invented as a self refilling water battery for trees and other plants. filling up from dew and rainwater.  This water is then channeled to the root of the growing plant.  All of this happens naturally (without electricity) due to the ingenious design of the Waterboxx.

A schematic cutaway view of the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon, or the Waterboxx for short.  Dew and rain are collected on the tan lid, funneled down the siphon (shown in red) to the green reservoir, and slowly released to the roots of the growing tree by a wick.  No weeds can grow for almost 10 inches in any direction from the trunk of the small tree.  

The Waterboxx surrounds the trunk of the growing plant.  Its central opening allows the plant to grow.  The reservoir of the Waterboxx sits on the soil surrounding the desired plant.  Here, in addition to preventing evaporation of soil moisture, it prevents weed growth around the tree or plant.  For trees, the Waterboxx is removed after 1-2 years, after the tree is well established and has a large canopy that will block out weeds at the base of the tree.  For annual plants (like tomatoes, peppers, melons or other cucurbits), the Waterboxx is left in place for the life of the plant, preventing any competing weed growth.

A giant sequoia growing over two years with the Waterboxx in Indiana - no weed pulling or external watering was every needed for this tree, even after the Waterboxx was removed.

The Waterboxx is made of food safe UV resistant plastic and can last for up to 10 years, so it can be reused for several trees or for a decade in the garden.  It can help eliminate herbicide use, and allow us all to plant a more green, living world.  The Waterboxx can allow us to plant trees that grow so large as to combat our own personal carbon dioxide emissions.  Finally, the Waterboxx can allow us to plant trees in areas long considered too dry for trees.

Learn more about the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon here.

We would love to hear your comments below.

How to harden off tomato plants to prepare them for the home garden?

Harden off your tomato plants before you set them out in the home garden. Outdoors can be a shock for them if they’re not ready. It’s up to you to prepare them for the real world.

Until now, your tomato seedlings have had an easy life. You’ve pampered them with plenty of light, water, food, and warmth.

That’s about to change.

In the outdoor garden, they’ll have to stand on their own roots and deal with sun, wind, and critters.

About 7-10 days before planting them outdoors, help acclimate them to temperatures, sunlight, and wind.

This process is called “hardening off.” Without hardening off, your tomatoes are more susceptible to sunburn, windburn, and breakage.


Gradual exposure helps your plants toughen up and reduces the possibility of injury. With proper hardening off, they’ll have an easier transition to the garden and begin producing fruit sooner.


Take these steps to harden off your tomato plants.

1. Start slowly. For the first day, set plants outside in the shade, next to the house, or in a protected area for an hour or two. Eastern or northern exposure out of direct sunlight also works. Bring seedlings in at night.
2. Raise exposure. Gradually increase the amount of time your plants are outside each day for several days, to include some direct sunlight. Light breezes help strengthen stems as long as movement isn’t too severe.
3. Monitor seedlings. Check them regularly for wilting and water appropriately if they droop. Move them to shade or a sheltered location if seedlings they appear stressed.
4. Finally, leave tomatoes out overnight. Make sure the forecast is for temperatures to be above 50°F during the night time.

Once your seedlings handle their outdoor sleepovers without problem, it’s time to move them into their new home: your garden.

How to help your crop succeed when you set seedlings out in the garden?

Planting tomatoes successfully in the garden takes just 4 easy steps: timing, spacing, digging, and planting.

Time It

1. Date. Check your local extension or a region map for recommended planting dates. Tomatoes do best when planted about 10-14 days after the last frost date.
2. Temperatures. Make sure it’s consistently warm both day and night. (Tomatoes don’t like to be cold.)
3. Weather. The perfect planting day is cloudy or overcast. If you must plant when it’s sunny, do it early or later in the day so that seedlings aren’t as stressed by the strong light.

Space It

Plan carefully for enough space between each plant and enough space between rows.

• Plants. Place tomato plants 24”-30” apart. Indeterminates need more space than determinates since they continue to grow until frost.
• Rows. Allow 5 or 6 feet between rows to allow room for plants and room for you to move to weed, water, fertilize, and pick.

Dig It

There are two best ways to make new homes for your tomatoes.

1. Hole. Dig a hole twice as big as the plant's root ball. Use one hole for every tomato plant.
2. Trench. Dig a trench 6 inches deep the length of your planting area. This is the best planting method for leggy plants (buried stems will develop additional roots), gardens in cold areas (soil will keep plants warm), or when you want your plants to get a head start on the season.

Plant It

• About an hour before planting, water your tomatoes thoroughly. Fill hole or trench 1/3 full with topsoil. (You can use what you just dug up).
• Add 1-2 scoops compost and a handful of bone meal or fertilizer. (Learn about best fertilizing techniques for tomatoes.)
• Mix everything well!
• Add water to the hole or trench.
• Clip off the lower set of leaves.

Planting Trees Along Route 66

Route 66 is the Automobile Age's Oregon Trail and Transcontinental Railroad, combined into one.  It has been the symbolic and frequently the actual route for Americans to migrate westward.  It is a  holiday route for Europeans who want to experience main street America - but who do not want to experience the America of interstates or airports.

Route 66 in blue with modern interstates in black.  This map shows how this highway connected the Heartland of the nation  (starting n Chicago and going through many small towns) with the West Coast (image from National Park Service, Public Domain)

Route 66 was the route the Joads took to escape the Dust Bowl in Tom Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, in which the author called it "The Mother Road".  It is the subject of famous songs by Nat King Cole and again by The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones version is seen below:

A more recent movie (Cars by Disney, 2006) has also highlighted how Route 66 helped small towns along the route of the highway thrive.  Today, as most Americans fly cross country, much has been lost along this highway which once connected the eastern and western halves of our country.  We would venture to guess that most Americans have never driven even a small part of this famous road.

Today, America faces many challenges.  Much of our history is being forgotten.  The automobile and by extension this famous highway are becoming viewed more as the causes of problems (traffic, carbon dioxide emissions) rather than solutions to problems.

That is why an effort is being led by retired General Frank Schober of New Mexico and Pieter Hoff, inventor of the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon®, of the Netherlands, to plant trees along the famous old Route 66.  The first leg of this effort has been already been completed, with Waterboxxes being purchased for use in Galena, Kansas.  You can see a video about that planting here.

This tree planting effort shows how a brilliant new technology, the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon®, can allow trees and motorists to develop a symbiotic relationship.  The trees rely on the carbon dioxide emitted by the cars to grow, and the motorists get the fresher air and better scenery provided by the trees.  The Waterboxx PlantCocoon® allows this relationship to come about because it fundamentally changes how trees get water.

A schematic cutaway view of the Waterboxx, showing how the tree is planted in the center, rain and dew are collected on the tan lid and stored in the green reservoir, and released via the white wick into the soil below.  From Groasis.com

The Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon® is the ideal technology for planting trees along Route 66.  It collects and stores dew and rain water, and slowly funnels it to the roots of the growing tree sapling.  This forces the tree to grow deep tap roots which allow it to survive droughts, even after the Waterboxx PlantCocoon® is removed.  The Waterboxx PlantCocoon® can  be removed and reused to plant other trees for up to ten years.  We hope to plant many long lived trees with this device along Route 66 and in other deforested places.

If you own or care for land along Route 66 and would like to plant trees with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon®, it is available in business order sizes here or consumer order sizes here.

We would love to hear your comments below.

How Many Trees Are There On Earth?

A new study out in the Journal Nature states that there are almost 3 trillion trees on the Earth, or over 400 trees for every person currently living.  As trees are vital to our atmosphere (using carbon dioxide and producing oxygen), serving as the counterpoint to animals (which of course use oxygen and produce carbon dioxide), the large number of trees is good news.  However, the study showed a far more concerning fact - we are cutting down 15 billion trees a year, and replacing only 5 billion, for a net loss of 10 billion trees per year.  Humans have cut down almost 50% of all trees since the advent of civilization, a staggering fact that may explain much of the drying out of whole regions (as trees can make it rain).

A farmer who harvested a field and didn't replant it would soon starve or become bankrupt.  So, why are we cutting down so many trees and not replanting them?  The reasons are many - some of the land is turned to grazing, some to agricultural production, some to urban development.

It is unlikely that we would ever turn good agricultural land back into forest -especially with increasing food prices and an increasing number of mouths to feed on the Earth.  It is just as unlikely that we will demolish houses to plant trees.  However, trees' role in pulling carbon from the air and storing it for long periods, potentially millenia (in very long lived trees like sequoias) in their trunks or centuries (in wood used for construction) cannot be overstated.  So, what are we to do?  Don't we lack the land needed to grow new trees?  As we cannot demolish our neighborhoods, where are trees to be planted?

A giant sequoia, growing over two years with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon in Indiana.  This tree was never watered after planting with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon, not even after the Waterboxx PlantCocoon was removed.

First, in most areas where new homes and businesses are built, very few trees remain.  These construction sites are called "greenfield" for a reason - they are generally fields when construction is underway.  If you have a new home with a barren yard - congratulations - you get to choose the trees you plant there.  This is especially important for very large yards, as your tree choice will affect your home value more than almost anything else.  Throughout this site, we have tree recommendations for longevity and other virtues.  If you live in a fairly wet, temperate area in the United States and want to plant trees that will counteract your lifetime carbon emissions, may we suggest planting giant sequoias on large plots of land.  This may sound outlandish, but this tree grows throughout much of the U.S. (and the world), and has been planted from Scotland to New Zealand.  Small sequoias can be bought here and are much more likely to survive if planted with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon, sold here.  


Second, large parts of the western half of the United States is considered desert or near desert - and indeed it is by rainfall totals.  Little is thought to be able to grow there, so it is not used as agricultural land.  However, trees that establish deep roots are able to survive where other plants cannot.  The problem is that it is very hard for trees to get established in desert areas, especially as most rain falls in a short period and then there is no precipitation for many months.

The Algodones Sand Sea desert in California (Photo from USGS, by Peter Kresan, public domain).  Surely no tree could ever grow here - except with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon.

This dry spell once meant the death of any planted trees - until, that is, the invention of the Waterboxx PlantCocoon.  This device, which is best described as a intelligent plant incubator or a self-refilling water battery for young trees, collects dew and rain water, stores it in a reservoir, and slowly releases it to the roots of a growing tree sapling.  This tree is allowed to grow for about a year, when its roots will reach much deeper capillary water.  Once this happens, but before a tree gets too large, the Waterboxx PlantCocoon is removed and reused for other trees.  In this way, large areas of desert land can be planted with trees, providing shade, wood, habitat for wildlife, and potentially foliage for grazing animals (depending on tree selection).  You can see how the Waterboxx PlantCocoon works in the video below:

So, has the Waterboxx PlantCocoon ever been shown to work in the desert.  In fact, it has.  88% of salt cedar trees planted with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon survived in the Sahara desert, as seen below.

Salt Cedar trees growing with the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon in the Sahara Desert in Morocco.  

 Ghaf trees (really more shrub or bush like plants) planted in the Kuwaiti desert with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon thrived after the Waterboxx PlantCocoon was removed.  These plants will completely change the character of the land over time, adding humus to the soil and allowing life to flourish.

Ghaf trees planted with the Groasis Waterboxx PlantCocoon in Kuwait - surviving after the Waterboxx PlantCocoon is removed.  

We hope you are as excited about planting trees in new locations as we were when we first saw the Waterboxx PlantCocoon.  We recommend you find trees that are growing somewhere in your area (you can find drought resistant broadleaf and evergreen tree suggestions on this site), and plant them with the Waterboxx PlantCocoon.  You can find out more about the Waterboxx PlantCocoon here.

We would love to hear your comments below.