A few tips: I smothered half of my yard with 4 in mulch, killed the grass and diligently weeded. I layed down seed mixed with sand (1:7 ratio...sand helps to see where you spread) after the first hard frost. Seed to soil contact is important (I just lightly stepped where I sowed). A lot of these seeds need exposure to cold temps (stratification), so they sat all winter. I also added plugs of native grass (little bluestem) for visual and structural support for the flowers. I added some annuals as well to suppress the weeds and add some "pop" for the first year. Weeding is crucial: creeping charlie wants in! The result: a stunning meadow, my own National Park in my yard! Bird populations have increased, insects are thriving, the soil is teeming with life (and sequestering CO2 at 4x the normal yard). It is a true oasis in a suburban savanna!
Super helpful, Michael, and congratulations! I am wary of mulch because it can inhibit self-seeding, so filling in of meadow. But it sounds as if it didn't hurt yours. Sounds beautiful.
Growing from seed in a SE yard: Asclepias tuberosa,Chamaecrista fasciculata, Coreopsis lanceolata,Coreopsis tinctoria, Dracopis amplexicaulis, Echinacea purpurea, Lupinus perennis (big surprise with that one!), Ratibida columnifera, Rudbeckia hirta, Gaillardia pulchella.
Thank you for answering my question and your wonderful workshop! I'd love to hear more about native shrub recommendations, as I know you are fans! It seems to be harder to find resources on native shrubs compared to forbs and sedges.
Hi. Winter sowing is often mixed up with direct seeding, but the two processes are different. Winter Sowing uses containers like milk jugs or deep aluminum roasting pans to grow hardy seedlings outside with some protection from birds and squirrels. If you have Facebook, join the “Winter Sowers - The Original” group. They had a long “How To” post yesterday that had some really great info about the process. Ask your local coffee shop to save empty milk jugs for you. Winter sowing can begin after the Winter Solstice next week. Good luck, Marsha, I’ve found the process yields great results!
Yes, mulch has some risks (lots of hitchhikers, nasty additives if store bought, etc). My mulch was a "home brew" that I seeded with my own compost. I failed to mention I layed down cardboard, with mulch on top. As the cardboard, grass and mulch decomposed, it introduced fungal symbionts for all of the plants. I think that is why I had some lupine sprout: it requires a fungal partner to thrive. Succession is starting, with some bushes and tree saplings popping up. My next step is to do a controlled burn, just like a prairie environment. Birds of prey (raptors) have appeared because so many finches and other birds visit the meadow. There are families of chip monks, voles and other diggers as well. I saw a coyote bedding in the meadow. A thriving ecosystem!
A few tips: I smothered half of my yard with 4 in mulch, killed the grass and diligently weeded. I layed down seed mixed with sand (1:7 ratio...sand helps to see where you spread) after the first hard frost. Seed to soil contact is important (I just lightly stepped where I sowed). A lot of these seeds need exposure to cold temps (stratification), so they sat all winter. I also added plugs of native grass (little bluestem) for visual and structural support for the flowers. I added some annuals as well to suppress the weeds and add some "pop" for the first year. Weeding is crucial: creeping charlie wants in! The result: a stunning meadow, my own National Park in my yard! Bird populations have increased, insects are thriving, the soil is teeming with life (and sequestering CO2 at 4x the normal yard). It is a true oasis in a suburban savanna!
Super helpful, Michael, and congratulations! I am wary of mulch because it can inhibit self-seeding, so filling in of meadow. But it sounds as if it didn't hurt yours. Sounds beautiful.
Growing from seed in a SE yard: Asclepias tuberosa,Chamaecrista fasciculata, Coreopsis lanceolata,Coreopsis tinctoria, Dracopis amplexicaulis, Echinacea purpurea, Lupinus perennis (big surprise with that one!), Ratibida columnifera, Rudbeckia hirta, Gaillardia pulchella.
Impressive, Michael! Great to see all those species can be grown successfully from seed.
Thank you for answering my question and your wonderful workshop! I'd love to hear more about native shrub recommendations, as I know you are fans! It seems to be harder to find resources on native shrubs compared to forbs and sedges.
Glad you enjoyed both! Here’s some info on shrubs—though who knows how I came up with 75!?! If you'd like more suggestions, let me know where you are and what your goals are. https://www.designyourwild.com/p/top-native-shrubs-and-trees-for-wildlife
Ahhh two steps ahead of me, this is perfect, thank you!
Hi. Winter sowing is often mixed up with direct seeding, but the two processes are different. Winter Sowing uses containers like milk jugs or deep aluminum roasting pans to grow hardy seedlings outside with some protection from birds and squirrels. If you have Facebook, join the “Winter Sowers - The Original” group. They had a long “How To” post yesterday that had some really great info about the process. Ask your local coffee shop to save empty milk jugs for you. Winter sowing can begin after the Winter Solstice next week. Good luck, Marsha, I’ve found the process yields great results!
Thanks for all the ideas, Alex! Great tip to reuse jugs etc. to save money on pots.
Yes, mulch has some risks (lots of hitchhikers, nasty additives if store bought, etc). My mulch was a "home brew" that I seeded with my own compost. I failed to mention I layed down cardboard, with mulch on top. As the cardboard, grass and mulch decomposed, it introduced fungal symbionts for all of the plants. I think that is why I had some lupine sprout: it requires a fungal partner to thrive. Succession is starting, with some bushes and tree saplings popping up. My next step is to do a controlled burn, just like a prairie environment. Birds of prey (raptors) have appeared because so many finches and other birds visit the meadow. There are families of chip monks, voles and other diggers as well. I saw a coyote bedding in the meadow. A thriving ecosystem!
Absolutely fabulous!
The last picture - the azaleas in the foreground look like Asian ones, not native??
I appreciate your vigilance, Teri! However, that looks to me like an American rhododendron, like Rhododendron maximum: https://plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/plant/Rhododendron-maximum