Why Are Native Plants Important?

Native plants are an integral part of a healthy landscape. There are a number of reasons why that is, including but not limited to that they are naturally low maintenance because they often require less water than traditional sod. They do not require large amounts of fertilizer or pesticides that plants from other places may need. If the plants are native to your area, they have even coevolved with the wildlife as well. That means that many native bird species also rely on native plants as a food source.

By Akos Kokai (Native plant demonstration garden) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Non-native plants, otherwise known as invasive species, can wreak havoc on a delicate ecosystem.

Below is a list of a few reasons why invasive plants are worse than native plants for your landscape.

http://solveoregon.org/why-we-care/invasive-plants

Air, Noise, Water Pollution

In terms of water conservation and the precious value that water is in an ever growing world, using water wisely is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, watering lawns can contribute to waste of a natural resource, “30 percent of water consumed on the East Coast goes to watering lawns; 60 percent on the West Coast. (Redesigning the American Lawn)” (National Wildlife Federation). Invasive species also require an increased amount of pesticide use that can pollute waterways. 

Harm to Biodiversity

Native plants also provide critical habitat to a variety of pollinators. Certain insects have coevolved to only eat certain plants, and if invasive species have taken over then there is less and less food for those insects to eat. That in turn causes there to be less food for the birds that feast on insects. Check out an excerpt of a film about the important impacts that native plants can have on a landscape:

Consumption of Natural Resources

Invasive plants often outcompete native plants because they usually lack their natural enemies in a foreign environment. As a result, invasive plants can strangle a hillside or choke a waterway easily. Alternatively, native plants natural abundance is due in part to the fact that they are native to your climate, and thus have adaptations for the amount of water and the soil moisture in your particular area (Backyard Conservation...).  

 Impacts to Public Health and Safety

Invasive species do require an increased amount of maintenance. Increased chemical use can lead to harmful effects in wildlife and humans (Benefits of Naturescaping). Extra fertilizer may also be required to maintain a green lawn. If you use native plants, and decide to compost in a natural garden, your soil will not need as many chemicals to provide good nutrients to your plants!

Cost and Labor Intensive

The cost of upkeep for a traditional lawn is about $700 per acre per year, as opposed to the care of a wildflower meadow at $30 per acre per year (About Native Plants). The equipment used in the upkeep of a typical suburban lawn includes lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and the occasional chain saw. These pieces of equipment emit as much hydrocarbon in one hour as a typical auto driven 50 miles. (National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Lab, Ann Arbor.) Every year, a typical lawn requires 40 hours of maintenance, which is the equivalent of a one-week vacation (Benefits of Naturescaping). The noise pollution from a lawnmower alone can be enough to make anyone upset on an early Sunday morning.

Boring Landscapes

Avoid monoculture! Aesthetic concerns aside, native plants offer a wide variety of shapes, colors, and textures for your yard.

Why spend all of that time maintaining an unnatural landscape? Instead, give native plants a try. You won’t be disappointed!

Below is a preview of an excellent documentary film focused on the dangers of invasive species in Oregon. Washington state deals with a lot of the same resource problems as Oregon, and it is an informative piece on various issues in the Pacific Northwest. 

Convinced that native plants are the way to go? Don't know where to start? Come learn more at Cascadia's FREE Native Planting 101 Workshop!!!

RSVP today for our native plant workshop, Saturday, February 11^th from 12:00-4:30 pm at the Wenatchee PUD auditorium!

Our plant sale ends by March 1^st, so place your order today to ensure you get what you want. 

To order native plants, download a form HERE!

Cheers!

~ Ava

Works Cited

"About Native Plants." http://www.nwf.org/Garden-For-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants.aspx. National Wildlife Federation. Accessed 1/13/17. 

"Backyard Conservation Tip Sheet." https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/home/?cid=nrcs143_023590

“Benefits of Naturescaping.” http://www.plantnative.org/how_benefits.htm

Green, Danielle. “Greenacres: Landscaping with Native Plants.” US EPA. https://archive.epa.gov/greenacres/web/html/index.html Last updated on 2/21/2016.

Idaho Native Plant Society. Landscaping with Plants of the Intermountain Region. https://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/id/publications.Par.71153.File.dat/Landscaping-small.pdf

“Let’s stop these silent invaders.” http://solveoregon.org/why-we-care/invasive-plants. Accessed 1/13/17. 

“Why Native Plants Matter” Audubon society http://www.audubon.org/content/why-native-plants-       matter. Bird Friendly Communities Blog. Accessed 1/13/17.

Wild and Scrumptious

Continuing with our native plant theme, and considering several of our native plants for sale are edible, it seems appropriate to devote a blog to edible native plants. Before delving into this topic, I’d like to be clear that eating plants found in the wild holds some risk and should not be done in a casual manner. If you’re a novice identifying plants or are unsure, it’s best to get a second or third opinion from someone in the know before munching down.

There are many benefits to eating wild plants. First of all it’s free, and as someone on a tight AmeriCorps budget, I’m all for free. Also, generally speaking, plants lose nutritional value the longer they sit after being harvested. So you get more bang for your buck when you eat freshly harvested plants. Depending on values and disposition, it’s also common that people gain a deeper appreciation for the things they eat when they’re able to see their food in its natural environment and gather it themselves.

Being a novice in the subject myself, it seems the best place to start is with plants that are relatively easy to identify and have no poisonous lookalikes. It’s also recommended that one learn the few poisonous plants around in order to better avoid them. The following are just a few examples of the many tasty edible plants you can find in our area:

-Evergreen Huckleberry produces edible berries, which are commonly used to make delicious jelly and jam.

Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)

-Hooker’s, or tapertip onion has edible flowers and bulbs and can be consumed raw or cooked. While raw this onion is said to be overpowering, it’s purportedly sweet and delectable when cooked.

Hooker's Onion (Allium acuminatum)

-Camas also has edible bulbs which can be eaten raw or cooked. When cooked, they’re known to be sweeter than a sweet potato. The bulbs can also be ground into flour. It should be noted that Camas has a deadly lookalike aptly named "death camas". To avoid any fatal mix-ups, double, triple or even quadruple check to be sure you've got the right camas. It's easiest to distinguish one from the other while they're flowering.

Camas (Camassia)

-Wild licorice was commonly used by Native Americans. They have sweet, fleshy roots which get sweeter when cooked.

Wild Locrice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)

If you’re like me, your mouth is watering just thinking about those scrumptious local flora and you can’t wait to get out and try your hand at finding, preparing and devouring such delicacies. And, if you’re a novice like me, you probably need to pump your breaks, hard. Not only is it the wrong time of year to be gathering many of these edible plants, but there are also some guidelines everyone should abide by when harvesting wild plants. This list of dos and don’ts is from the Washington State University Snohomish County Extension website (http://ext100.wsu.edu/snohomish/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/73aEdibleWildPlants.pdf):

• Know what you are picking
• Collect only what you can positively identify as edible
• Harvest only plants that look healthy in uncontaminated areas
• Clean and prepare wild foods like you do cultivated crops
• Eat only small quantities when first trying an edible plant
• Get property owners' permission before gathering wild foods
• Never over-harvest. Take only what you can use and use what you take.

If this blog has convinced you to take up gathering wild edible plants, there are plenty of resources online to help you get started. There are also some great field guides worth their weight in edible flora such as A Field Guide to Edible Fruits and Berries of the Pacific Northwest by Richard J. Hebda and Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L. Tilford.

While it’s been raining down here in Wenatchee, the higher elevations have been getting snow which has increased our snowpack in this area to 64% of the 34 year average (ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/wa_swepctnormal_update.pdf).

Three More Native Beauties...

I’d like to use this post to continue the tour of native plants offered by the Cascadia Conservation District. If you’d like to place an order, get more information or register for our native planting workshop, please see our website. Two of these next three native plants, woods’ rose and golden currant, are old plant sale standbys, while evergreen huckleberry is back for the first time since 2012.

Woods' Rose

Woods' rose (Rosa Woodsii), or Interior rose, grows in a variety of soils and climates, even in places with very little topsoil and at high elevations. It does well in varying degrees of sun exposure. It should also be mentioned that wild roses are far less susceptible to disease and recover much quicker than domesticated roses.

The woods’ rose is an excellent choice for someone looking to beautify their property in a harsh climate. As well as being a hardy survivor, it also dawns magnificent pink flowers and bright red hips. Because of its ability to grow with little soil on steep slopes and in generally tough conditions, the woods’ rose is a top choice for restoration.

Evergreen Huckleberry

Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) is another hardy plant we offer. Though it is commonly found in coniferous forests and prefers shade, it can grow in full sunlight and sandy soil and it is drought tolerant.

In the spring the evergreen huckleberry, in ideal conditions, will grow light pink, urn-shaped flowers which will transform into delicious red, then purple berries. Its leaves are egg shaped, dark green and have a reddish hue when immature. The evergreen huckleberry grows up to 13 feet tall.

Golden Currant

Golden currant (Ribes aureum) is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 6 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. Its waxy green leaves turn a showy yellow in the fall and the shrub produces yellow flowers which morph into berries of various colors.

Golden currant can grow in a variety of sites, from moist bottomlands to exposed hillsides making it a good soil stabilizer for nearly any location. Also, while its berries may taste tart to us, but they’re a favorite for birds and small mammals.

Today’s snowpack as a percent of average is 64% (USDA/NRCS National Water and Climate Center, http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov).

 

USDA/NRCS National Water and Climate Center

Apple Blossom

The Apple Blossom Festival is nearly here. The food fair will start serving shortly. The carnival is rising at Riverfront Park. The youth parade is just a couple days away, followed by the main parade a week later. It’s a busy time of year in Wenatchee. Tens of thousands of people will flood the parks and streets to enjoy all we have to offer.

Look outside of Wenatchee and you’ll notice the orchards abloom. Spring presents a medley of blossoms: cherry, apple, pear, peach, plum, nectarine, and so forth. Washington leads the nation in production of apples, cherries, and pears. Why do they grow so well here? It really comes down to a combination of climate and water availability.

The weather is great here in Washington. We experience all four seasons. If you look back at the blog post on seed dormancy you’ll read about how some seeds require a period of cold before sprouting. Well, some trees require cold before they’ll produce blossoms, and therefore, fruit. We also have nice warm, dry summers. The fruit loves the hot weather. It helps ripen the fruit and gives it a good color and sweetness. All the sunshine helps the tree photosynthesize and produce great fruit. The dry weather is good for the fruit too. Rain and hail can damage fruit as it grows. Cherries often soak up too much water during a rain storm and then their skin splits.

The downside to dry weather is the lack of moisture. The trees need to be watered. Without water the tree might die, or at the very least it won’t produce good fruit. That’s where the water availability comes in. We happen to have an abundance of water available to use in Washington from the rivers. The dams create reservoirs and out of these reservoirs flows irrigation water headed to the orchards and the fields, allowing crops to thrive in our arid climate.

  

Apple blossoms were, and still are, an important aspect of Washington life. The orchards have been shrinking for many years. 50 years ago most of the Wenatchee Valley was a forest of orchards. Orchards are continually pushed back to the outreaches of communities as people look for more land to build homes and businesses on. As people moved in next to orchards they started to complain about the dangers of living next to an orchard. The pesticides and fertilizers applied to protect and help the fruit grow. Prices for apples have dropped under competition from many countries around the world. China produces more than half the world’s apples. 

Spring is Here

March 20^th marked the first calendar day of spring, and this year nature is willing to follow along. Temperatures have warmed from the cold, snowy February weather. The hills are starting to green and soon wildflowers will be blooming. The sun peaks through the clouds and warms the air.

Balsamroot

Picking a calendar day seems an arbitrary way to start a season, and it is. We choose to set our seasons by the solstices and equinoxes as a convenient way to mark the changing of seasons. Luckily we live in an area that they happen to coincide fairly well. But if you head north or south of our latitude the seasons start to follow a different path. I doubt spring in Alaska has really started yet, nor is winter a measly three months long. Head south to the tropics and the overall temperatures rarely change. Seasons there may be more accurately described as wet/dry. Head far enough south into Australia or South America and the seasons are opposite of ours. As we head into spring they head into fall.

Yellow Bell

Spring around Wenatchee is an amazing time of year. The hills lose their brown or yellow color they sport much of the year and show off their lively green. Green represents growth in the shrub steppe environment, both annual and perennial. Spring is often the only time of year there’s enough moisture available for plants to grow and thrive in our climate. The combination of melted winter snow and spring rain provides enough moisture for plants to survive the rest of the year in this two to three month period.

Buttercup

Not only do plants use spring as a time to grow. They also use it as a time to flower. One of the easiest to spot is the balsamroot, which sports large yellow flowers that seems to blanket portions of the hillsides. Lupine is quite prominent as well, featuring tall stems covered in purple flowers. Look close enough at your feet while walking between the sagebrush and you might notice yellow bells, bluebells, lomatiums, and buttercups.

Besides the prominent flowers are a variety of grasses. Much of the bright green you see comes from their spring growth. Most people consider grass a staple of lawns, requiring constant moisture to survive and thrive. That’s not the case. Native grasses thrive in our environment with no watering by us necessary. Even when the grass has lost its fresh, green look come June and July it’s still alive. Simply waiting to sprout again come the following spring when there’s plenty of moisture.

I encourage you to go out and enjoy the shrub steppe during the spring. In my opinion it’s the only time to truly appreciate the great variety of life present. Come summer and fall all that will be left is a dry, brown hillside with little shade to get out of the sun. Enjoy it in the spring when it’s still cool and the hills are alive and colorful.

Plant Structure

 Plants exhibit great variety. Cacti in the deserts, pines in the mountains, water lilies in a pond, and wheat in a field. Yet among all these different types of plants there are basic structures shared by nearly all of them. Almost all plants have a root system and a shoot system. Root systems are composed of roots (obviously) and shoot systems are composed of leaves and stems. Regardless of the overall morphology (form and structure) of a plant they all rely on these structures to survive and thrive.

Roots serve a few purposes. They anchor the plant in the ground. Roots allow redwoods to grow hundreds of feet into the air. They provide the support that keeps riparian vegetation from washing out during a flood. Roots also provide the entire plant with water. Roots pull the water out of the ground and transport it to the rest of the plant through its vasculature system. Roots are also responsible for the uptake of nutrients that the plant needs in large and small quantities.

Stems represent the (generally) aboveground structures that leaves sprout from. Stem structure is composed of a series of nodes and internodes. Nodes are the point where leaves sprout. The internodes are the space between. Stems have two types of buds present. (A bud is the point where new stem growth occurs.) A terminal bud represents the growth point of a stem. Usually a terminal bud is located at the furthest point along a stem or branch. An axillary bud is located between the leaf and the stem at the node. Axillary buds have the potential to form lateral stems, or branches. Rhizomes are a type of underground stem that travel under the surface and sprout up away from the original plant. Strawberries spread through rhizomes. Even though rhizomes grow under the soil they are not roots.

Leaves grow out from stems and for most plants are their primary site of photosynthesis (the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy). However, some plants, such as cacti, have modified leaves into needles, so most of their photosynthesis is carried out in the stems. Flowers evolved from leaves into the great variety we see today.

Plants have three main types of tissue. Most of these tissues are present in all plant structures, but their function and morphology varies from the roots to the leaves. The three types are ground, vascular, and dermal tissue.

Dermal tissue is all the tissue on the outer layer of the plant. This tissue is responsible for protecting the plant from physical damage and pathogens. Leaf dermal tissue helps regulate the loss of water and the intake of CO₂. Root dermal tissue helps capture water and minerals in the soil. Non-woody plants are covered in an epidermis. In woody plants the epidermis is replaced by periderm in older parts of the plant.

Vascular tissue is responsible for transportation of materials within the plant. The flow usually goes from roots up to shoots, and from the shoots down to the roots. Xylem is the vasculature responsible for transporting water and dissolved minerals and nutrients throughout the plant. Phloem is vasculature responsible for transporting organic nutrients that are produced in the photosynthetic areas of the plant (generally the leaves) and to the roots or sites of new growth.

Ground tissue is all the other tissue in the plant. This tissue is responsible for most plant functions: photosynthesis, storage of nutrients, growth, and support. Ground tissue in the leaves is mostly responsible for photosynthesizing. Ground tissue in the stems, branches, or trunk is responsible for much of the plant support. Ground tissue in tree trunks is often dead and is strictly there to support the outer part of the trunk that is still alive and filled with vascular tissue.

When it’s broken down to the basic level a plant is built from three basic structures: roots, stems, and leaves. These three structures are composed of three types of tissue: ground, dermal, and vascular. These six things make up the basics for almost all plants. That’s amazing when all the variety of plants are considered. 

Native Plant Sale: Part 3

It’s the first week of January. The weather doesn’t feel much like winter though. The last few days have brought temperatures in the low to mid 40s, and the snow has been lacking. It feels more like November or February outside right now. Regardless, it’s time to take a look at the last four plants in this year’s Native Plant Sale.

Blue elderberry is the sixth shrub for sale this year. The range of this shrub covers the western parts of North America north into British Columbia and south into the northern parts of Mexico. They favor damp areas along streams, rivers, and other open, wet locations. They grow best on moist, well-drained, and sunny locations. It works well as a stream bank and eroded site stabilizer. The blossoms on elderberry are white and will bloom between May and July depending on local climate. The berries that mature in late summer into the fall are quite edible and have been used for makes preserves, pies, and wine. Click here to read a previous blog outlining some of these uses. Many birds and animals will also eat the berries. It can reach sizes of up to 25 feet tall, but is more common to reach sizes around 10 feet. 

Red osier dogwood is the seventh shrub available this year. This dogwood is present in most of the US and Canada. The only area it’s not present is in the South East US stretching over to Texas. They are usually found growing in moist soils along rivers, swamps, creeks, and lakes. Even though they prefer moist soils they don’t like completely saturated soil for long periods of time. Red osier is useful for stream bank stabilization. The plant is most noticeable in the winter when its bright red bark adds color to a winter landscape. It flowers in late spring with clumps of small, white flowers. It is also useful as forage for animals in the winter, and its berries are eaten by some bird species. It can reach heights of 20 feet, and will often grow in thickets due to the rooting ability of its stems. A more in depth look at red osier can be found here.

Tall Oregon grape is the final shrub offered this year. Its distribution ranges throughout the Northwestern US and extends up into British Columbia. It can grow in a variety of soil and terrain types, from dry to moist, and from sunny to shady. Oregon grape can be found as an understory species in wooded areas, or as the one of the first species growing in a disturbed area. The plant develops a large root system with time, so it can be useful for soil stabilization. Many rodents and birds enjoy the berries, and young stems and leaves may be eaten by deer and elk. It also has many ornamental qualities including bright yellow flowers in spring, purple berries in late summer, and reddish green leaves throughout the year. It will grow to roughly 10 feet in height, with an approximately equal amount of spread.

Kinnikinnick is the only ground cover for sale this year. Its range covers Canada and much of the Northern and Southwest US. It grows best in course soil that is well drained. It grows in forests and on sand dunes, acting as a very effective soil stabilizer due to its spreading nature. It tolerates cold very well. The fruits on the kinnikinnick are eaten by some birds and game animals. Deer may browse it lightly as well. Its leaves are dark, shiny green. The flowers are small and white to pink in color, blooming in late spring. It is a low growing plant, generally staying under 6 inches in height, but it can spread out 15 feet.

This concludes my look at all 12 plants offered for sale this year with our Native Plant Sale. If any of these plants sound intriguing make sure to order some today! There’s a little bit of everything available. Conifers, deciduous trees, shrubs, and ground cover will provide everything you need to landscape or restore your property. Click here to visit our Native Plant Sale page.

Come back next week for another article.

Native Plant Sale: Part 2

It’s the beginning of December and the snow is starting to fall as I sit writing the blog for this week. Frankly it’s about time. There’s something incredibly relaxing about watching the snow fall. As much as I would love to dive into talking about snow, I must save it until a little later in the winter. It’s the beginning of the month and therefore time to return to the topic of our Native Plant Sale and talk about four more plants we’re offering.

Quaking Aspenn

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is the second deciduous tree that we’re offering this year. Its range includes all of Canada, most of the United States except for the Southeast, and down into Mexico. Quaking aspen prefers to grow in soils that stay moist most of the year. It can grow in some areas with less moisture, but will not reach the same growth potential. The trees can reach up to 90 feet in height with adequate moisture, but will often remain under 40 feet, especially in drier sites. The tree gets its name from the way the leaves move in the wind. The stem shape of the leaves causes them to “quake” in even a light breeze. The leaves are a very pleasing green color through spring and summer, and in fall they turn a brilliant yellow. Aspens stabilize well, but sprouts will grow off of the roots.

Mock Orange

Mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii) is another one of the eight shrubs offered for sale this year. The range of mock orange includes Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, California, British Columbia, and Alberta. It prefers well-drained, moist soils. It can be found in areas ranging from riparian to open or forested lowlands to rocky upland sites. It reaches heights ranging from six to ten feet with a spread of roughly six feet. Mock orange flowers anywhere from May to June. The blooms are white and give off a sweet smell making this shrub quite pleasant to have nearby when in bloom. This shrub is very useful for soil stabilization.

Snowberry

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is the fourth out of eight shrubs offered this year. The range of snowberry includes the coastal mountains of the west coast, north into British Columbia, and east over to New England. It can grow in sun or shade, and in a variety of soil types including stream banks, moist clearings, and open forests. It grows from three to eight feet tall with an approximately equal spread. The flowers are white to pinkish. The berries are white during the summer and change to a darker color as they ripen. The berries are considered to be poisonous, so don’t eat them.

Woods Rose

Woods rose (Rosa woodsii) is the fifth of eight shrubs for sale this year. This rose has a range that covers western North America as far north as Alaska, south into Mexico, and east to Iowa and other Midwest states. It can grow in sunny or moderately shady sites. It is adapted to a range of moisture levels on site from riparian zones to dry grassy slopes. However, it grows best in moist, well-drained soils and on sites that are open. It grows roughly six to eight feet tall with an approximately equal spread. The flowers are various shades of pink and it blooms anywhere from May-July. Woods rose is useful for erosion control due to its rhizomatous root system that spreads out and helps stabilize the soil.

Of course by the time I finished writing this blog the sun was out and the snow has stopped without really any of it accumulating. Sigh. There will always be another day for more snow to come though. This concludes the brief look at these four plant species. Eight plants down, four more to go in the beginning of January. If any of these species interest you make sure to visit our website, download the available forms, and place your order!

Until next week,

Josh

Native Plant Sale

Cascadia has started accepting orders for the 2014 Native Plant Sale. This year we’re offering 12 different native species. These 12 species can be grouped into four basic categories: coniferous trees, deciduous trees, shrubs, and ground cover. With 12 different options there is bound to be something perfect for whatever your landscaping needs may be. Native plants are ideal for creating a new native garden, restoring a damaged site, or they can just as easily be used as a compliment to an already existing garden.

What makes native plants so amazing? They know the area. Native plants evolved under our natural climate and conditions. That means that they don’t require the constant watering, fertilizing, or tending to that many ornamental plants require. Once established, native plants will flourish with very little upkeep on your part. Visit our website for more information. Order yours today!

Since we’re starting to take orders for our native plant sale, I feel it’s only appropriate to spend some time talking about the different plant species we’re offering this year. This week I’m going to cover four plants: ponderosa pine, rocky mountain maple, golden currant, and serviceberry.

Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is the only conifer we’re offering this year, but it’s a good one. Ponderosas have a native range that goes from southern Canada to Mexico.  They grow in a wide range of soils provided there is enough moisture and drainage. It frequents areas receiving 14-30 inches of annual precipitation, much of this as snow in the winter. Once established it is fairly well suited at surviving periods of drought, such as the summer months. Ponderosas do not like shade. In order to properly grow they need access to direct sunlight. They work very well as an erosion control due to their quick growth and ability to grow in many soil types. They can live for several hundred years and reach heights of over 100 feet with diameters of more than 2 feet.

Rocky Mountain Maple

Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum) is one of two deciduous trees on sale this year. It covers a large range the goes from Southern Alaska all the way down to California. Rocky Mt. Maple can thrive in a variety of sites with adequate moisture, from moist lowlands to dry uplands. It tolerates shade well enough to grow as an understory species, but can also grow with full sun in exposed areas. Depending on the conditions it can grow as a shrub or tree. It can reach heights of 30 feet with adequate space.

Serviceberry

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is another of the eight shrubs offered this year. It is found throughout western North America at low to mid elevations. It grows in many site types, full sun to shade, moist to dry, and level to steep. It grows best with over 12 inches of yearly precipitation and good drainage with decent sun exposure. It works well as a stabilizer because of its large root system. It produces many white blooms in the spring and in late summer provides berries for wildlife. It grows anywhere from six to fifteen tall with similar amount of spread.

Golden Currant

Golden currant (Ribes aureum) is the one of eight shrubs up for sale this year. Its range covers an area from Canada south to Southern California or Northern Mexico. They grow in a variety of sites, from damp, brushy sites to exposed, rocky hillsides. It generally prefers good sun exposure. The flowers are bright yellow and cover the plant in the spring. Later in summer it produces small berries that are eaten by a variety of wildlife. The bush usually reaches heights and spreads around six feet.

That’s just a brief look at four of our plants offered this year. I’ll do this two more times at the beginning of December and January to finish covering all of our offered plants. If any of these plant species sound appealing, make sure to visit our website and download the brochure and order form. 

Tune in next week for another article.

Josh

Plant in the Fall

Planting in the fall may seem like a poor choice. Winter is knocking on the door, and whether we like it or not will soon force its way into our lives. With freezing temperatures and snow on their way it may seem like the worst time of year to plant, but it's actually a great time. Bulbs, shrubs, and trees can do very well when planted in the fall.

Fall planting works well because of the weather associated with it. While it may seem cold and wet outside when compared to the summer we left behind, fall weather is often more pleasant than spring. The weather is still warm during the day, but not overly hot. There are usually less rainy and cloudy days, but rain still comes fairly regularly. Also the soil is quite a bit warmer in the fall than in the spring.

Bulbs that have been in the ground for over a year follow their own natural rhythms. It's only the first year that can cause them some issues as they adjust to life back in the ground. Bulbs normally sprout in the spring, grow, and then go dormant in the fall. When planted in the spring it can take a little time for the bulbs to start the process of sprouting. They have to adjust first. Planting in the fall can remove some of the issues of spring planting. The bulbs have a chance to acclimate to the soil before going dormant for the winter. This leaves them well prepared to start spring growth based on their natural rhythms. Plant bulbs too late in the season and they might miss the signals necessary to start growth. This may lead to them developing far later in the year than normal, or they might not sprout at all.

New shrubs and trees, when planted in the spring, spend a lot of their first year trying to establish a good root system. The resources spent on root growth are necessary, but at the same time they limit resources available to other plant growth. Water requirements the first year are also quite higher than subsequent years due to the lack of an established root system.

Fall planting can remove these issues. Even though shrubs and trees are headed towards dormancy in the fall they still have time to grow. Planting them in the fall gives them a month or two to establish roots without also trying to grow the other parts of the plant as well. This preparation allows the plants to grow in the spring without diverting so many resources towards root growth. This helps cut down on the watering necessary the first spring and summer.

The last benefit to fall planting is money. Often the plants available at the end of the season are much cheaper than they were during spring or summer. By fall most businesses with plants still in stock just want to get rid of them. Anything they have left that you want will typically be much less expensive.

Hopefully this gives you an option to consider when planting, instead of automatically planting in the spring. Next time you have plans to plant in the spring; consider the alternatives and plant in the fall. You'll save yourself time, effort, and money. When spring comes you'll be able to enjoy your new plantings without slaving away in the muck trying to get them in the ground. 

Make sure to tune in again next week for another article. I plan to talk about fungi next and explore some of their roles in our environment.

Josh