How to best "Love Your Mother Earth" on Mother's Day Weekend?
There are many volunteer efforts to peruse, but perhaps the poppy-est will take place at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve on Saturday, May 7.
It's the "Love Your Mother Earth" Weed Pull, when poppy people gather to remove invasive weeds around the world-famous reserve, all to give future blossoms a chance to sprout, grow, and thrive.
"The wildflowers at the Poppy Reserve struggle to battle with strong armies of non-native plants, which compete with them for sun and water," shares the reserve team.
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"There aren't a lot of options for us to tackle the problem because most weed removal techniques damage our native plants too."
"Now that the bloom has ended and the native plants have gone to seed, let's take this opportunity to get those non-natives out before they drop their seeds!"
The two-hour event starts at 9 a.m., and volunteers will need to arrive with a few items in tow, including gardening gloves and cold water (the full list is here).
Something to keep in mind?
This is the final weekend for the Interpretative Center at the reserve, which stays open during the main part of the wildflower bloom, from May 1 into early May.
However many weeds you do pull, consider this: You'll be able to tell your friends and family members that you played a role in a future superbloom.
Of course, California poppies aren't the only flowers that grow around the popular destination, and no one can say when the next superbloom is due.
But the Lancaster location has become a world-famous photo spot, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, and pitching in, on a bright May morning, is a way to give some love to a place that is well-loved by so many.
For details on helping out, visit the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve site now.
