THE INS AND OUTS OF NATIVE PLANTINGS Aimee Zimmermann Liz Reed
EOT SWCD WHAT DO WE DO? Irrigation Scheduling and Nutrient Management Native Seedings and Drill Rental Tree Sales and Tree Planting Water Planning Education and Outreach Shoreline Restorations
OUTLINE Itty-Bitty Native Plant Identification Natives and their Weed Look- Alikes Doing the Math for Your Own Native Planting
NATIVE PLANT IDENTIFICATION
BABY ANIMALS ARE CUTE, BUT WHAT ABOUT
BUT WHAT ABOUT BABY PLANTS?!
THIMBLEWEED & ANISE HYSSOP
CONEFLOWER SPECIES CANADA ANEMONE
GOLDENROD OR CONEFLOWER PRAIRIE SMOKE
OHIO SPIDERWORT OAK SEDGE MARSH MARIGOLD
PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER Long, linear leaves Emerges as a single stem *Leaves have a strong citrus aroma Gently roll in your fingers
WHITE PRAIRIE CLOVER Long, rounded leaves more rounded than purple pr Emerges as a single stem *Does not have a citrus aroma
NOTE ABOUT CLOVERS IN NATIVE PLANTINGS Purple prairie clover and white prairie clover do not have your typical 3-4 leaf clover look, even though they have clover in their name. There is a round headed bush clover that is slightly similar to a three leaf clover, but it s not very common in seed mixes. If you have a 3 or 4 leaf clover in your planting, you can weed it out. Round Headed Bush Clover
BLACK-EYED SUSAN *Fuzzy leaves Emerges as a basal leaf cluster Very high germination rate Common Mullein
GOLDENROD/CONEFLOWER It s HARD to tell the difference when they re only a few inches high! Know now that they are good plants, and wait until they re taller to identify
PARTRIDGE PEA Emerges as a single stem *Develops compound leaves Does well from seed An early bloomer Neat pea-like seed pods
PRAIRIE SMOKE *Unique, fern-like leaf Basal leaf cluster Hair on leaves Can take a few years before it decides to flower
IDENTIFYING NATIVES BY SMELL Anise Hyssop Black Licorice Purple Prairie Clover Citrus Mountain Mint Strong Mint Wild Bergamot Mint/Tea
IF YOU RE NOT SURE IF IT S A GOOD OR BAD PLANT It s okay to wait! Let the plant get bigger, taller, and it will be easier to identify It s okay to let it flower that will make it even easier to identify If it ends up being a weed, pull it before it goes to seed
NATIVES AND WEED LOOK-ALIKES
GOLDEN ALEXANDER & WILD PARSNIP Alternative: Heart Leaved Golden Alexander Golden Alexander: Smooth, shiny stem; petiole attaching the leaf to the main stem Wild parsnip is poisonous to humans & livestock. Wear PPE when handling. Wild Parsnip: Grooved stem; base of the leaf wraps (clasps) around the main stem
WILD BERGAMOT & SPOTTED KNAPWEED Wild bergamot: Native; aromatic; simple opposite leaves Spotted knapweed: Invasive; woody stem; simple lobed leaves alternately attached
FIREWEED & PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE Fireweed: Native; 4 petals; alternate lance shaped leaves; tolerates moist acidic soil Purple Loosestrife: Invasive; 5 wrinkled petals; opposite lance shaped leaves; moist to wet soil
COW PARSNIP & GIANT HOGWEED Cow Parsnip: Native; 3-10 feet tall; 3- parted toothed palmate leaves Giant Hogweed: Invasive; 10-20 feet tall; 5 foot wide leaves; stem has purple markings; Has not been discovered in MN
WATER HEMLOCK & POISON HEMLOCK Both of these plants are poisonous to humans & livestock. Wear PPE when handling. Water Hemlock: Native; 3-6 feet tall; smooth stem with purple/red hue; alternate compound leaves; wet organic habitat Poison Hemlock: Invasive; 3-7 feet tall; smooth stem with purple spots; fern like leaves; moist to wet habitat
YOUR OWN NATIVE PLANTING
BENEFITS OF NATIVE PLANTINGS Reduced lawn maintenance Improved water quality Better erosion control than common alternatives Habitat for wildlife
TYPES OF NATIVE PLANTINGS Rain gardens Shoreline buffers Pollinator gardens Native garden Prairie planting
GETTING STARTED Identify your goals Less maintenance More flowers, color Reduce erosion Increase wildlife and pollinators What type of planting do you want?
ANALYZE YOUR SITE Sunlight patterns Slopes Rain runoff areas Existing plants Soil types Walkways Try to preserve any natural features Figure out how water flows across your yard
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SPOT On slopes Eliminate maintenance on tougher areas Slows down water and reduce erosion Catch downspouts or discharge Road ditches, between buildings, on slopes
START WITH A SKETCH Define your area Include pathways, patios, boat/dock access, etc Mark areas of excessive shade or full sun and wet or dry soils Note common wind direction Mark sight lines, steep slopes, pooling areas
CHOOSING PLANTS Pick your preferred heights Pick a variety of bloom times Pick a variety of colors Make sure they are suited to your soils and sunlight
hady-large-flowered Bellwort Early Blooming-Prairie Smoke Wet-Blue Lobelia Sunny and Dry-Purple Prairie Clover CHOOSING PLANTS Late Blooming-Aster Little Bluestem
BUY LOCAL! Minnesota Native Landscapes Otsego, Foley Morning Sky Greenery Morris Prairie Restorations Princeton Check out local nurseries!
SITE PREPARATION All existing vegetation must be killed before planting natives Apply herbicide Lake friendly if necessary, always follow the label Apply 2 applications 10 days apart Rake up dead vegetation to expose bare soil If next to the lawn, install a border or edging
SEEDING AND PLANTING Figure out how many square feet you re planting 1000 ft² Seeding: Look at recommended seeding rates for broadcasting 43,560f ft²/acre 1000 ft² /43,560 ft²/acre=0.023 acres 0.023 acres x15 PLS/acre=0.344 PLS lbs 0.344 PLS lbs x1.5 (for broadcasting)=0.6 PLS lbs seed Figure out how many plugs 1.5-2 feet apart 1000 ft² /1.5²=444 plugs 60% grasses=444x0.6=266 grass plugs 40% flowers=444x0.4=178 flower plugs
PLANTING TIPS Include a variety of grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees to provide year-round interest Pick plants that match the conditions on your site Label a few of each species so you have a reference as they grow
MAINTENANCE IN THE FIRST YEARS Water immediately following seeding and planting Water 1-2 inches per week if no rain in the first year Be patient! Keep up on weeding After year 3, minimal maintenance Pull weeds if present Water if extreme drought Consider burning every 3-5 years
DIVE IN! 801 Jenny Ave SW, Perham, MN 218.346.4260 Like us on Facebook!