Native grass & wildflowers are a beautiful and beneficial addition to every garden. Over tens of thousands of years, native species have evolved close relationships with native birds, insects and wildlife, providing them with food & habitat. If you love supporting native birds, pollinators & wildlife from your garden, the addition of native plants will increase the number of resources you have available for them.
Our native grasslands are an endangered ecosystem, and landowners and gardeners have an amazing opportunity to support grassland wildlife, simply by incorporating some of the species into your garden.
Thereare two methods you can use to establish native plants in your garden. Planting individual plants and native seed can both be effective methods, depending on your design & maintenance goals.
Native seed can be an effective way to establish a diverse community of plants, particularly if you have an area in your landscape design that you want to appear more naturalized. By spreading a blend of native seeds, you are giving the species in that community an opportunity to decide if the conditions on your site are right to germinate and establish.Given the right conditions, the species in that blend can establish directly from seed – you will see species that are usually pioneers in nature start by establishing first and other species will follow after that.
Many native species have evolved to need a period of cold, moist stratification under the snow in the winter in order to trigger germination in this spring. This is an adaptation to ensure each plant germinates in the right conditions to thrive. It may take some time for you to see your native seed germinate, but it’s well worth the wait.
The other method for establishing native plants in your garden is by planting individual plants. This method works well for perennial beds or landscape designs that call for plants to grow in certain locations or in particular quantities. There are also some species that are very slow to establish from seed, and you may find it’s faster to plant individual plants. If you have an area that’s hard to keep free from weeds, you might find it challenging to keep it weed free while seeds take time to establish.
Native seeds will germinate more readily when exposed to periods of cold and moisture before warmth in spring &summer. While you can simulate this for seeds, we prefer to allow nature to dothe work. The best times to seed are in early spring or late fall.
As soon as the snow is gone and the soil is thawed enough to be loosened, you can seed in the spring. It’s ok if it snows following your seeding, as the cool & moisture will signal to the seeds that it’s time to germinate later in the spring when the weather warms.
Fall is a great time to seed. Wait as late as possible in the season where the ground is still workable and the snow has not yet fallen. Ensure that you are only fall seeding in areas that won’t be disturbed across the winter.
Before you start sowing, prepare your site by:
1. Ensure your site is clear of weeds & turf species. Native seeds need direct contact with soil in order to germinate. If you are replacing turf grass with native species, it’s recommended to remove or kill the turf grasses completely before seeding as turf grasses will complete with the native plants while establishing.
2. Loosen the soil. Seeds need direct contact with the soil, and we recommend covering seeds with a light layer of soil to keep them in place & retain moisture while they germinate. You can use a rake for this in your home garden.
3. Place your seeds. Broadcast your seeds evenly over the area to be seeded. You can retain a small amount of seed for later to cover any patches that were missed or seeded more lightly than others.
4. Cover with soil. Once seeds are broadcast, cover with a light layer of soil, and keep soil moist & weed free until germination occurs.
5. Cover with mulch. For best results, cover seeded areas with a straw mulch to prevent erosion of seeds and soil, and retain moisture for germination.
Be patient while your native seed germinates. You may only see 1 or 2 species, the pioneers, at the start of your first season. Many native species require several years before they bloom. The beautiful thing about starting a naturalized area in your yard is you can see how the community slowly evolves over time and incorporate new species as the community evolves and establishes.
In nature, the composition of native plant communities changes over time, as pioneers are replaced by climax species. You’ll have the pleasure of watching this evolution in your own yard or landscape.
