Spring may be the season most commonly associated with planting in our gardens. But with native plants especially, most experienced gardeners will tell you that fall is actually the better time. This is due to a variety of factors, such as reducing transplant shock due to the cooler temperatures and sunlight levels, and giving your […]
Gardening Tips
Tips for Finding and Observing Caterpillars in your Garden
We’ve written about the importance of making sure to include host plants in your butterfly gardens, so you can support multiple generations of pollinators rather than just providing a food source for adults passing by. The result of this, of course, is that your goal is to support pollinator larvae, or caterpillars, in your garden. […]
Organic Mulch vs. Living/Green Mulch: What Are They and What’s the Difference?
Mulching a garden can be great for multiple reasons: suppressing weeds, retaining moisture, and even improving the soil over time. With native plants, there are some different considerations, because the plants are naturally adapted to the native soil and therefore able to thrive without anything special added to it. In practice, however, this doesn’t always […]
Is My Great White Trillium Dead? When Does It Typically Emerge in Spring?
Great White Trillium (trillium grandiflorum) is one of the most beloved spring ephemerals in many areas of the US, including my own state of Ohio where it’s the state wildflower. In this article I’ll share answers to some important questions about growing it based on my own garden experience in combination with the research I’ve […]
Should I Worry About Unseasonably Early-Growing Native Plants?
Due to this year’s warm winter (which is, of course, not a one-off but rather a look into the future with a changing climate), many regions of the United States are seeing much earlier emergence and growth of a variety of native perennials. For a couple of weeks I’ve been excited to walk through my […]
Will My Coneflower (Echinacea) Come Back if Eaten by Rabbits?
Popular native perennials like purple coneflower (echinacea) and black eyed susan (rudbeckia) look beautiful in the garden and also are beneficial for your local ecosystem. In one way, however, they can be a bit too beneficial for gardeners’ liking: the fact that they are a favorite food of rabbits and other small mammals. Many gardeners […]
How to Deter Rabbits and Deer from your Native Plants (And Should You?)
There’s certainly no debate as to whether mammals both small and large can wreak havoc in a garden. Deer, rabbits, and even squirrels and chipmunks can eat tree saplings, tender young shoots and even entire perennial plants. How to best stop them is a frequent topic of discussion in any gardening circle. But taking a […]
Aster Yellows in Native Plants: How to Diagnose and What to Do
For those who have heard of it, or been unlucky enough to experience it first-hand, aster yellows is a scary proposition in your garden. In this article, we’ll explore aster yellows including tips for how to diagnose it and what actions to take. What is Aster Yellows and What Causes It? Aster yellows is a […]
5 Ways to Help Wildlife In Your Yard (Leaves, Lawn Care and More)
The best way to attract and support wildlife in a home garden is to plant native plants, especially those that bloom throughout the season and those that serve as keystone native species. But what else can you do to help wildlife in your yard? This article will go over some tips other than planting that […]
How to Help Wildlife and the Environment Most With a Small Yard
If you’re gardening to help wildlife and your larger local ecosystem, having a smaller yard may seem like a major hindrance. Can you even make that much of an impact without acreage or a larger property? We’re here to say that yes you can! But there are specific things to do, ranging from the plants […]