Thursday, June 2, 2016

Plant Seeding 2016

Flowers are beginning to bloom here in abundance and daily we have to walk and see what's happening. It's a full time job just to observe our surroundings!

Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis)
 

Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)


Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)


This morning we heard quite a ruckus from the robins and blue jays and spied their concern...a turkey vulture roosting in one of our dead ash. We are always so impressed with these huge birds that help clean up all the dead animals. The robins just didn't get it that all the TV wanted to do was preen in the morning sunshine. I thought it a perfect perch and if I could fly, I would sit there too.


We've been busy these past few weeks seeding lots of flats of native plants:



This year, we are using a better drained, more sustainable mix that is sourced from a local company with local materials: Rusy Bed tree mulch, which we will report thoughts on as the season progresses.


We topped the pots with a mixture of worm poo and seed starting mix to hold moisture better while the seeds germinate.


It was such great fun this year to do the seeding with Steve...even with his Popeye elbow. Yes, Google it. That's what working too hard and carrying heavy road litter will get you.


Anna Lee and Little Girl also helped quite a lot shuffling about, pecking unearthed insects, chatting with us and offering us many opportunities for laughs!


We continue to add our pots to our young orchard. As the trees grow, they will offer nice shade for plants in pots that don't like to bake in the heat. We really, really like this integrated approach to our nursery and are excited to see how it evolves over time.


This morning I took these pictures of a couple of newly germinated seeds - woo hoo!





Seeds - just WOW. What can we say other than their life cycle sure is extraordinary?!

4 comments:

  1. All looks great except the Canada Anemone Anemone canadensis. Yes native but "Rhizomatous plant that can spread aggressively in the landscape" per MO Botanical Garden: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286153&isprofile=0&letter=A
    I highly recommend pulling it and avoid selling it as it spreads by seed as well as runners.

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    1. Hey Debby! Thanks for your thoughts and you are quite right...this plant spreads by rhizomes and if happy, spreads rapidly. We view this though as an excellent attribute (and one we want) if placed in the right spot. Canada anemone is beautiful, hardy, quick to establish and gives gifts of little plants to move around. We have really come to view more "aggressive" plants as our friends here as we work to reclaim mowed lawn - think Common Milkweed! :) Interestingly, with Canada Anemone's aggressive nature, we've only found it one place in the wild. We think considering what and how you want to use a plant in your home landscape is very important before placing it. No harm done though, if not. You can always dig it out and move it. We've done lots of that. :)

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  2. I have some huge spots that could benefit for an aggressive plant...save me time and money! Your garden is looking so fabulous!!

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    1. Thanks lady!!! We understand those huge spots. :) :)

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