So the front half of the prairie will be planted over the next few days. It is gray and dreary today. Perfect time for planting. My prairie bed is a large kidney shape. Finding lots of clay may prove a challenge to my initial grass choices. June grass and a blue grass from the open […]
Projects
Larger Projects
To do in 2020 – a garden on the move
√ Move weigela bush Move some dill down to the meadow √ Move south garden arch Move honeysuckle to south garden entrance Move hibiscus to irrigated bed Trim chokecherry along north fence Davey Tree trim apples Edge rock wall Put fabric over meadow Plant all the meadow grasses/flowers Bottle water for vine planters Put up black […]
It’s coming
iNaturalist – Nature observation for citizen science
iNaturalist is a phone app you can use to record the things you see in the natural areas you visit. It easy to start. Sign up at the website, Download the app from your iphone or android store. Sign-in and take a look at the Missions to get an idea of the plants, animals and […]
Seed germination for native prairie 2020
Using both indoor an outdoor sowing methods a new prairie of warm season bunch grasses, and forbs. Indoor Methods Indoor Medium: Peat pots Indoor growing environment: Heat mat, 2 florescent lights on 12 hours. 1 plant light, 1 plain. Side oats grama propagation Indoor sowing results produced leaves within seven days when laid on top […]
How to quantify results of a backyard shift to natives
For this to be a true effort in providing habitat to native pollinators and birds we must be able to identify the species involved as well as quantify the results. What is a measure of success? How many life cycles constitute a stable population? Of course the first goal is to see species the first […]
A foreign allium while waiting for natives.
Planting the Rosy Dream allium Native alternative: Allium cernuum – good for native bees. Grow in moist soils . allium-carolinianum is a native of asia – is a lower growing allium standing at 14 -16″ Its light color will look most striking against a darker background. These bloom from mid-spring until early summer. April – […]
Seeds for the new Prairie garden
Originally Posted on 4/15/2019. These can be planted this fall. Sideoats Grama Seed (Bouteloua curtipendula) Item #: 21520 Grass Seed Weight: 1 Oz $4.00 Purple Prairie Clover Seed (Dalea purpurea) Item #: 16860 Seed Weight: 1/4 Oz $6.00 Switchgrass Seed (Panicum virgatum) Item #: 27570 Grass Seed Weight: 1 Oz $4.00 Fall Planting: Purchase […]
How changing the gardens contents can change its vitality
The Going Native journey is not a statement. It’s not political, not artistic, not religious. It’s a journey by steps towards the best habitat I can create. It’s the new age ideal, ‘we are everything, and everything is us’, brought back to the physical. It’s finding pure balance in the nature I create. But it’s […]
The garden walk about
9/7 Re-establish curves of the original flower bed Introduce more rock to ‘base garden’. The space between flower bed and paths to and from the bridge. Dig out path outlines on far side of bridge- started Look for good ways to transition between path and base garden. Some favorite plants like think soil in the […]
