Sarah, thank you for this. I've enjoyed all your presentations so far with the details about land preparation and t the patience required in establishing native plants in our yards. I grew Coreopsis lanceolata and butterfly milkweed from seed last year for my garden. As well, I bought chelone and obedient plant for some areas that were formerly only lawn. I bought seed from Prairie Moon Nursery for 500 sq.ft. of a sunny, dry area in my back yard having prepared the former lawn area last year and distributed the seed in late October. Fingers crossed!!!! My current project is building fencing to keep rabbits from damaging the red oak, butternut hickory and some maples that I planted as whips last year. As well, I have 12 or so nannyberry and service berry shrubs that were planted last year. Rabbits have sheared all of these with a classic 45 degree angle tell-tale procedure and now I need to put fencing up and a foot down in the soil surrounding these to allow some establishment of the plants!
Great experience based information on this channel. I'm in the Chicago area too and can vouch for some of these observations. I tried New England aster for three years and, yeah, nope.. not for my yard, just not possible to keep them looking nice, even with multiple hard prunings to reduce the height, and they get white mildew every year. I moved them to nearby train tracks where sparse natives grow and no maintenance is done. It will be nice to see them as I drive past.. I picked up a packet of aromatic aster for my easement prairie instead, and they look very cool in October with the little bluestem. Will have to keep the rhizomes at bay until the other stuff gets a foothold. But asters are great for starting out because they're pretty much weeds, they grow like mad and they're tough as nails. That's why I got the NE aster in the first place - local nursery stocks them in their native section, but imo they should stock aromatic instead.
fantastic content and information thank you
Sarah, thank you for this. I've enjoyed all your presentations so far with the details about land preparation and t the patience required in establishing native plants in our yards. I grew Coreopsis lanceolata and butterfly milkweed from seed last year for my garden. As well, I bought chelone and obedient plant for some areas that were formerly only lawn. I bought seed from Prairie Moon Nursery for 500 sq.ft. of a sunny, dry area in my back yard having prepared the former lawn area last year and distributed the seed in late October. Fingers crossed!!!! My current project is building fencing to keep rabbits from damaging the red oak, butternut hickory and some maples that I planted as whips last year. As well, I have 12 or so nannyberry and service berry shrubs that were planted last year. Rabbits have sheared all of these with a classic 45 degree angle tell-tale procedure and now I need to put fencing up and a foot down in the soil surrounding these to allow some establishment of the plants!
I’m so glad youtube suggested this! I’m in Cook County the south suburbs. I hate grass. decided last year I’m gonna have a native plant haven 🤗
Great experience based information on this channel. I'm in the Chicago area too and can vouch for some of these observations.
I tried New England aster for three years and, yeah, nope.. not for my yard, just not possible to keep them looking nice, even with multiple hard prunings to reduce the height, and they get white mildew every year. I moved them to nearby train tracks where sparse natives grow and no maintenance is done. It will be nice to see them as I drive past..
I picked up a packet of aromatic aster for my easement prairie instead, and they look very cool in October with the little bluestem. Will have to keep the rhizomes at bay until the other stuff gets a foothold. But asters are great for starting out because they're pretty much weeds, they grow like mad and they're tough as nails. That's why I got the NE aster in the first place - local nursery stocks them in their native section, but imo they should stock aromatic instead.