Water Smart: Steps to Establishing Your Native Plants

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Scott Vogt

Originally published on April 29, 2015, here are some helpful hints from our Executive Director Scott Vogt on getting your native plants established using “waterwise” methods.

Over the past few weeks, we have been fielding quite a few questions about how to properly establish plants purchased at our fall FloraKansas Native Plant Days. Hopefully, many of you have a great start and your plants are beginning to attach to the soil. But if you have questions, keep reading for some helpful reminders and step by step instructions for our method of establishing plants.

Now that you have purchased your plants at our FloraKansas plant sale and hopefully gotten them planted in your landscape, you’ll want to be intentional about watering methods. It’s true, native plants are more drought-tolerant than you may be used to. However, in order to get your plants successfully established, they will still need some careful attention these first few weeks and through the summer.

Follow these steps to be “water smart” as you establish your native plants:

The First Year

When planting: Water plants as soon as you get them in the ground. Allow the water to soak in, then water again until the soil is thoroughly moistened.

First Two Weeks: Water plants daily depending on the weather. If it rains, skip a watering. Just-planted roots are only able to absorb soil moisture from the potting soil. They have not attached to their surrounding soil. When you see new growth, the plants have begun to get established.

First Month: Unless the weather is extremely hot and dry, you may be able to decrease watering frequency to two or three times per week. Generally, you want the soil to be dry an inch or two below the surface before you water. Too much water leads to foliar and root problems. It is optimal to allow the soil to dry between watering because this encourages roots to grow deep.

Following Months: Water only when top inch or two of soil dries or when plants display signs of being dry. Water deeply and infrequently. How much water will depend on your soil and environmental conditions. Don’t forget to check your plants during the winter months.

The Second Year

Water deeply as needed. During prolonged periods of dry weather water once or twice per week. Generally, it takes plants at least two years to fully develop a sustaining root system.

The Following Years

Properly planted and watered plants should be fairly well established, and can thrive with less watering than you may expect. Drought-tolerant plants may need no supplemental water, whereas shallow-rooted plants or plants with greater water needs may need water weekly. Many plants, when selected for the conditions in your yard, may need watering only once or twice a month in dry weather.

Best Management Practices for Native Plants (BMPs)

Drought-tolerant plants: Even drought-tolerant plants need regular water until they are established!

Young Trees and Shrubs: Young trees and shrubs need deep regular watering. During times of little or no rain, water deeply once a week until trees become established.

Fertilization: Don’t fertilize new plants. Fertilizing during establishment encourages rapid top growth that is not sustainable by the root system.

Mulch: Mulch new plantings with 1-3 inches of mulch and keep mulch away from plant stems.

Water in the morning: Less water is lost to evaporation.

Choose the right watering method: A soaker hose applies water directly to the soil and reduces evaporation. If you are planting a few plants in an existing planting bed, hand watering can get the new plants the water they need while not overwatering the rest of the bed.

Get to know your soil: Is your soil sand or clay? It greatly affects watering frequency and duration. Our clay soils can only take in about an inch of rain per hour.

Check soil moisture before watering: Check soil moisture with finger or spade. Soil should be dry an inch or two below the surface before you water.

Recheck soil after watering: At least an hour after you water (or two hours with clay soil), probe soil to see how deeply the water penetrated. If it didn’t reach the root zone, you may need to increase your watering. If the area is soggy, try cutting back on watering next time.

Pick the right plant for the right place: Choose plants that are pest-resistant, require less water, and match the sun, shade, and soil in your yard.

Avoid planting in hot, dry weather: Plants will easily stress and not develop healthy roots under hot, dry conditions. If you must plant in summer, plant in the cool of the morning when less water is lost to evaporation.

The Johnsongrass Problem

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Scott Vogt

This summer in my travels through Kansas and surrounding states, I have seen more Johnsongrass than ever before. It is everywhere. It has proliferated to the point that it is pushing out native vegetation, including remnant prairies and most roadside ditch prairie plants. The expansion of this exotic grass is so aggressive that I am afraid that nothing can be done to reverse the trend in most of the areas that I see. It is a travesty.

*Johnsongrass has a narrow leaf blade similar to milo or sorghum and a panicle seedhead similar to switchgrass.*

History

Johnson grass, or sometimes Johnsongrass, Sorghum halepense, is native to Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. It was introduced in the U.S. around the 1800s and is named after Alabama plantation owner Colonel William Johnson who is said to have actually planted a crop of the grass on river bottom land in 1840. However, Johnson grass had been established in several other states about a decade earlier.
It was originally considered a prospective forage crop but Johnsongrass turned out to be an agricultural weed. The unintended consequence of Johnsongrass introduction was that it caused tremendous economic loss due to its invasive spread by seed and rhizomes. Cash crops were pushed out and livestock were poisoned by the plant. Today, it is considered one of the ten worst weeds in the world, especially for range land.

This grass was promoted as good for cattle grazing and hay, but it has had the opposite effect. It is very hard to eradicate once it gets a foothold. If you try to plow it under, it simply spreads more plants similar to tilling a stand of bermudagrass. Plants stressed by drought or freezing weather will produce hydrogen cyanide (prussic acid), which will kill livestock when the grass is eaten in larger quantities. Horses and repeat grazers are most susceptible to harmful effects such as bloating or death.

*Johnsongrass colony along a stream bank in Hesston.*

Control

You may ask, then, what can be done? Small stands can be hand pulled, dug up and monitored for resprouting, but you must be diligent and vigilant to make sure you have removed the entire plant. Scouting the peripheral edges of you property and immediate eradication with Round-Up is the best.

Always use caution when using any chemical including Round-Up. I hate to spray, but in this case, an application of glyphosate/Round-Up is warranted. Round-Up is a non-selective herbicide that will kill any plant it is sprayed on, so care has to be taken when applying it. Again, monitor and respray the sprouts that pop up after the original burn down.

You must be vigilant. A few years of growth of Johnsongrass unchecked can have very dangerous consequences to your prairie or landscape. We can’t reverse all the damage already done, but we can keep it from damaging your corner of the world. It takes some effort to keep invasive species at bay, but it is always worth it.

Plant Resiliency

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Scott Vogt

As we edge closer to summer, I have been thinking about how we go about choosing plants for our yards. Certainly, we choose plants that we like aesthetically, but many of us also want to choose plants that help wildlife survive. Yet another reason for choosing a particular plant is its resiliency or persistency in the landscape. How does it fair during times of stress? (Because the Kansas climate can be very stressful!)

If you can’t stand the heat…

Last summer was really hard on a number of long established plants here at the Arboretum. We lost trees that were 40 years old. We lost perennials that we thought should be alright with a little supplemental watering. These plants were watered, but they just could not endure the stress of the summer heat and drought.

*This Black Hills Spruce was permanently damaged by last summer’s heat and drought. Notice the soaker hose at the base of it, but even that was not enough to save it.*

Now, we could lament the fact that we lost these trees, but I believe their demise was inevitable. They were not the best choice because of where they come from.

Take Colorado blue spruce as an example. It grows naturally in higher elevations, with regular afternoon showers, and cooler night time temperatures. Yes, the sun is intense in Colorado, but it can recover during the cooler nights. You bring that evergreen tree to Kansas and subject it to full sun, dry winds and night time temperature in the 80’s, it cannot recover what is lost during the day. Each day, it keeps getting beaten down more and more until it just gives up. We lost several tops of evergreen trees last year because the top half was just scorched off. We were watering them, but the water loss during the day was too great to overcome.

*Norway spruce with the top scorched off last summer.*

If at first you don’t succeed…

In Kansas, we mourn the loss of any tree. Trees in south central Kansas are a luxury. We love the shade or screening they provide. However, we have to keep in mind that our area was once all prairie. The only trees to be found were along creeks and swales that offered regular water. We are trying to grow trees in the much harsher prairie environment.

So think about your own landscape. Which plants are thriving and which are struggling? What plants have been difficult to keep going in their current location? Is there a certain plant in your yard that you worry about when it gets hot? You can keep trying to pamper that plant into the future but don’t be surprised when it all of a sudden doesn’t come back the next year.

With loss comes an opportunity to make a better plant choice. Do your homework and learn about plants that are adapted to our areas. There are recommended trees and shrubs for our area. Obviously, we promote native plants because of all the good things they do in our landscapes if properly situated.

One more thing…

I would also encourage you to diversify your landscapes with as many different plants as you can. Many different plants will attract many different types of wildlife. Don’t make it so hard on yourself. Choose plants that are resilient in the landscape.

*Perennials in front of Taylor Junipers.*

Early May Blooms at the Arboretum

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Scott Vogt

As we work further into spring, I thought I would share some rare and some common prairie plants in bloom at the Arboretum the first week of May. Enjoy!

Plains wild indigo *(Baptisia bracteata*)

Missouri evening primrose (*Oenothera macrocarpa*)

Native Blue False Indigo-*Baptisia australis var. minor* and Golden Alexander-*Zizia aurea*

Eastern Gama Grass-*Tripsacum dactyloides* reestablishing itself along the new concrete pathway in the Prairie Window Project south of the hedgerow.

We have been fortunate to receive just enough rain to green up the prairie nicely. If you are in the area, stop by and see the many other early May blooms. The Arboretum will be at its peak for spring bloom in a couple weeks.

The Importance of Site Analysis, Part 3

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Scott Vogt

As we have discussed over the past few weeks, beautiful gardens don’t happen by accident. You need to analyze and deeply understand your garden over time. Once you have a pretty good handle on what you are working with, you will be ready to begin the process of choosing the right plants. Here are a couple more things to be aware of within your landscape.

Sight Lines

One of the questions I ask clients about their property is “Where will you be looking at your garden from?” Seems like a simple question, but it is often overlooked. This helps orient the plants in the right lines and heights for maximum viewing.

For instance, for an island planting in your backyard, will you be mostly looking at it from your living room or deck? If so then put the taller plants in the back and the shorter perennials along the front. In the case of a foundation planting, then the viewing would be mostly from the street, but you will want to see it from your windows. I would not use really tall plants that block the view from the front porch or windows.

Another aspect of sight lines is screening. Is there a view that you want to hide/screen? Are taller plants needed to provide you with privacy? Both can be achieved with plant material but your need to be thinking about mature plant height. Is there a structure arbor, fountain or garden art that you want to guide people to with a path or by using the clean lines of a flower bed?

Topography and Drainage

Positive drainage away from your house is so important. Basements are ruined with poor drainage around your home. Really work at getting water to flow away from your home before putting any plants in the ground.

Another thing to understand within your landscape is where the water flows. Standing water for a few hours is one thing, but if the water stands for days then plants will be adversely affected. If you have pooling water after a big rainstorm, then you can divert it away more quickly via a ditch or shallow swale. A better idea might be to develop a rain garden?

*Butterfly milkweed in the small rain garden at the arboretum*

By understanding these aspects of your landscape, you will be rewarded season after season with beautiful, functional, earth-friendly oasis. A garden that works with landscape and not against it. Whether, you just moved to a new home that you are unfamiliar with or want to start over with your current garden, site analysis is the place to start. Good luck!

If you need help with your native garden come to FloraKansas: Native Plant Days.

The Importance of Site Analysis Part 2

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Scott Vogt

The more you understand your garden, the easier it will be to choose the right plants for your site. We all have plant preferences but not all of your plant preferences will grow in your garden. Here are a few more aspects to consider as you analyze your landscape.

Soil Type

Here in south central Kansas, our soils are typically alkaline, which is good for growing most prairie plants. Soils can be pH neutral with a value of 7.0, or anything below that is classed as acid, and anything above, alkaline. To determine your pH, a simple soil test can be done by yourself from kits at most garden centers or through the extension service.

Other soil considerations are consistency and texture. At the Arboretum, we deal mostly with clay soils. This soil type compacts easily and drains poorly. You must find plants with root systems that can penetrate through the dense structure of clay, i.e., big bluestem, asters, and indigos. Other soil types are sandy (dries out quickly, low nutrient holding capacity, low organic matter and loose in your hand), Silty (mixture of a sand and clay, easily compacted), Chalky (stoney, exposed subsoil after construction, good drainage) and Loamy (high in organic matter, holds moisture and nutrients).

If you have been working in your garden for any length of time, you have a good idea of what type of soil you have. You can add some compost to your soil if it is really terrible, but typically, you can find plants that will grow in your soil conditions. For example, there are plants that appreciate the consistent drainage of sandy soils especially during the winter months.

If your soil is alkaline, you will struggle growing rhododendrons and azaleas that need acidic soil. Try to gather as much information about your soil and then find plants that grow in it. Finding the right plant for the right place will make you garden smarter not harder.

Think of Garden Aspect

Once you have defined the area you want to landscape, you need to understand aspect. Garden aspect simply means which way your garden is facing. If it north facing, typically shadowed by your house, it needs plants that can grow in shade or partial shade. If it is south facing, then choose plants for all day sun. If it east facing, then choose plants that need six hours of sunlight, but are protected from the hottest sunlight hours. If your garden is west facing then choose plants that can endure the hottest sunlight hours.

*South-facing garden with prairie dropseed, blackeyed susan, Amsonia hubrichtii, russian sage and Taylor junipers.*

Obviously, trees, structures, and house orientation play a role in garden aspect. The key is to observe your garden at different times throughout the year. This will help you understand completely where the sunlight is coming from and how intense it can be.

One other thing to consider is microclimates within your garden. There may be small areas that behave totally different than other areas ten to fifteen feet away. One example would be a protected area along a fence or under a tree the shields that site from hot west sunlight and drying winds. Or, a low area in your yard that stays consistently moist is another example. These areas might allow you the opportunity to try a few different plants that would not otherwise grow in your garden.

Next Week: Site Analysis Part 3

The Importance of Site Analysis

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Scott Vogt

Over the past few months, I have been working on some landscape designs. These designs have reminded me how important site analysis is to a successful design. Choosing the right plants for an area begins with a close look at the area being considered for a new garden. In my opinion, gardeners (I include myself in this category) don’t spend enough time observing our gardens throughout the year prior to planting anything. Here are a few important aspects to consider that will help you develop a rewarding planting scheme.

What is the size of your outdoor space?

Site analysis begins with taking a step back to observe the big picture. A small planting bed leading to the front door versus a larger foundation or island planting require different plants. Most plants need space to fully develop. Be realistic when you first start thinking about your garden. Lay out your garden beds with a hose to help define the landscape space. Step back and look at the lines and size of the bed. Is this the look you want for the area?

Another piece of advice I often give is to start small and work on your areas over successive seasons. A new garden can be overwhelming as you work to establish new plants, control weeds and maintain those new plants through the first year. Once the first area is up and growing, you can move to the next area. By starting small, you can build on your successes.

By using a garden hose to layout your garden, you can play with the design and curves before moving any soil. Step back and take a look. Adjust the lines until you are satisfied with the flow and size of the bed. Visualize the area with mature plants.

Control perennial/annual weeds before planting anything

Bindweed

Obviously, the best time to eradicate bindweed is before you plant. I spray the area with Roundup™ several times starting in July and August. Anytime we see green, the area is sprayed. This is the best time to spray because the plant is moving energy from the leaves into the roots for winter storage. The chemical is also moved throughout the extensive root system, killing even those deep roots. Trust me, it is worth waiting to plant until this weed is removed permanently.

Small patches can be hand pulled but you have to stay on it. Every sprig that pops up must be pulled immediately. We have also had limited success with hand painting the leaves with Round-up. Again, every new plant must be found and painted. Essentially, you have to be as ruthless and relentless as this weed is to completely remove it from your garden. I thank my ancestors for bringing this over to America with their wheat seed.

If you are firmly opposed to using any chemicals, you might consider solarization instead, or you may want to read my colleague’s blog post “On Weeding“.

Bermuda grass

This perennial grass is a problem because of its vigorous creeping habit. The plant spreads by seeds and by above and below ground stems that can take over a garden in one season. It is drought tolerant and thrives with neglect.

Like bindweed, bermudagrass is best removed before planting (same as bindweed). If you have it growing next to your gardens, a buffer must be maintained between the perennial display and the lawn area. This buffer can be weeded by hand or sprayed every few weeks with Roundup™ to burn back any new runners toward the garden. Raised beds are another defense against bermudagrass. Don’t blow bermuda grass clippings into your gardens. Again, it is better to wait to establish your new wildflower garden until you have bermudagrass eliminated. I have made the mistake of planting into bermudagrass and I am fighting with it every year.

Keep plants in scale

I don’t always observe or think about proportion and scale until it is too late. Keep in mind that your overall garden size helps determine what plants you can use in your design. Plant scale generally means using plants that are half the bed width. For instance, an area six feet wide needs plants that are no taller than three feet. A tall (8 foot) compass plant would stick out like a sore thumb if used in this area. In a narrow bed leading to your front door, taller plants tend to fall over and get in the way. Shorter plants such as prairie dropseed and black-eyed susans are a better option. Measure up what you have in order to see how everything will fit into place.

*Compass Plant is a beautiful wildflower that gets eight feet tall. It is out of scale in a smaller space. Give it room to gr*ow.

Look for Site Analysis Part 2 next week.

Callery Pear: Cut Them Down

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Scott Vogt

Originally posted on May 1, 2019

This is such an important topic and such a huge problem that we thought it is worth sharing again.

Several years ago, I noticed something disturbing was happening to our prairie reconstruction. Small little trees were popping up throughout the original prairie planting. I could not figure out where they were coming from, but they looked like pear tree saplings. It wasn’t until I saw a large white blooming Callery pear tree in the spring that it all came together.

Callery Pear

Although the flower clusters are beginning to fade, Callery pear’s white blooms are most obvious in the spring. We planted them for their explosion of spring blooms and nice fall color, but this ornamental tree has become highly invasive. It threatens native wildlife habitat and has become a nuisance for private and public landowners.

This once favorite tree was planted extensively throughout the U.S. The Callery pear – also referred to as Bradford pear – formed a nice pyramid to rounded shape. The vertical limbs made it a nice median and street tree as well, ultimately reaching 30 to 40 feet tall and 20 -30 feet in spread. This Chinese native was a harbinger of spring for decades with its prolific white blooms. An added bonus was its reddish-purple fall color.

Despite all those positives, these trees have become problematic. This non-native, flowering tree was assumed to be sterile, but it is not. It now cross-pollinates with other cultivars of Callery pear to produce hybrid offspring. The fruit is ingested by wildlife and birds that spread the seeds across the countryside and into your yards. It is aggressively displacing native vegetation, causing economic and environmental damage.

The message to property owners is to remove the trees now while you can easily identify them in bloom. We need to keep them from spreading to native areas. It doesn’t hurt my feelings to see them go, because they are a weak-wooded, thorny mess.

Native alternatives to Callery Pear:

Eastern Rudbud (Cercis canadensis)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea or Amelanchier ‘Robin Hill’)
American Plum (Prunus americana)
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum rufidulum)

*Blackhaw Viburnum fruit and fall color*

We have cut down the culprit, but still have a bunch more saplings to remove this summer. There was one more larger tree that was cut down near the Visitor Center. We will continue to eradicate these unwanted invaders in our prairies. It will take time but I believe we can get the upper hand. I would encourage you to remove them in your landscape as well and replace them with native trees. Callery pear has no place in the landscape anymore.

*Image Source

Here is additional information on Callery pear trees from the Kansas Forest Service.

Benefits of Planting Perennials

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Scott Vogt

As gardeners, we have many choices of plants to introduce into our landscapes. From trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials (including grasses), the options seem to be endless. Here at the Arboretum, we gravitate toward perennials for a number of reasons.

What is a perennial?

Unlike annuals that germinate, flower, set seed, and die all in one season, perennials are typically cold-hardy plants that will return again and again each spring. If situated in the right place in your landscapes, perennials will thrive, and will bloom either in spring, summer, or fall.

In my mind, the benefits of planting perennials in your home garden are as follows:

Incredible Root Systems

It often takes perennials several years to develop a sustaining root system after being transplanted from a pot. These root systems compared to many annuals is much more extensive and much deeper. During periods of drought, these deeper roots feed nutrients and moisture to the plant. The deeper roots of grass are credited with developing the deep layers of top soil found in many states that now support farm crops. These roots also control erosion, sequester carbon, and break up tough compacted soil.

Xeric Garden interpretive signage located on the Dyck Arboretum grounds. Artwork by Lorna Harder.

Diversity of Perennials to Establish in the Landscape

As I said earlier, there are so many different types and varieties of plants you can choose to establish in your display beds. A well-designed landscape with a variety of perennials will enhance the aesthetics and appeal of your property. With perennials that bloom at different seasons during the year and attractive grasses for fall and winter interest, you can create a diverse habitat for wildlife and pollinators, too. Keep in mind, the habitat you create is provides homes for insects and food for birds during the long, cold months of winter.

Prairie Window Project, August 2016. Photo by Brad Guhr.

Do perennials require less maintenance?

The key to success with perennials such as native wildflowers and grasses is putting the right plant in the right place in the right way. Perennials will NOT require less maintenance if you are trying to grow something in your landscape that has no business being there. Learn as much about the plants you want to use before you put them in the ground.

Perennials typically last several seasons. You don’t need to plant every single year like you do with annuals. By planting them once, you save money and time. You will need to clear last year’s growth in February or March and occasionally divide some clumps of perennial grasses as they expand over time. Perennials are a cost-effective and sustainable choice for landscaping.

*Panicum virgatum* ‘Northwind’ ready for spring.

Perennial plants can be the anchors to a landscape. While trees and shrubs provide the backdrop, perennials provide the elements of habitat that pollinators and other wildlife seek. These permanent pieces of your garden puzzle add beauty year after year. They can be combined to add continuous blooms and interest throughout each growing season. As perennials come in and out of bloom, a diverse collection of wildlife and pollinators will discover your landscape. This is ultimately the real benefit of a perennial garden.

A note about annuals

When I think about annuals in the landscape I don’t think about petunias. I choose annuals on their ability to provide nectar for pollinators. Nectar-rich annuals need to be drought tolerant and self-seed, too. See this article about a mostly annual garden.

Plant Profile: Ozark Witchhazel

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Scott Vogt

This time of year we are looking for any hint of spring. Often we can find tips of green from bulbs or swelling buds of the silver maple. On other trees, such as birch, hazelhut, alder and later willows, you can see catkins dangling from their branches. One of the first harbingers of spring here at the Arboretum is the Ozark witchhazel.

Flowers

Ozark witchhazel, with the scientific name Hamamelis vernalis and pronounced ham-ah-MAY-lis ver-NAH-lis, is a native shrub found in Missouri and Arkansas spreading down through Oklahoma and Texas. In January to early March, depending on the winter, tiny yellow to reddish-purple flowers pop open along the stems. The flower petals resemble twisted ribbons. These muted yellow flowers add winter interest to the garden since they open before the leaves emerge. Our shrubs are just now starting to open.

*First plant to bloom in the Arboretum this spring*

Leaves & Habit

The wavy, oblong leaves expand in the spring to make a nice screen or hedge. Each leaf is a medium green with a whitish waxy coating. These leaves turn a nice yellow in the fall.

These shrubs can get large (up to 10’-12’ tall) over time especially in consistently moist soils. Our specimens are planted in clay, but there is good drainage away from the crowns. For the most part, they are drought tolerant, but appreciate a little extra water during drier periods. Leaf scorch occurs in hot, dry summers without adequate moisture.

For best flowering, plant these shrubs in full sun but they do tolerate some afternoon shade. There are no serious pests at this time.

Typically, it is a multi-stemmed shrub with straight upright habit. As the plant matures, the branches will arch and become broader. If it is really happy, it will develop root suckers. In our experience, these suckers have never been problematic or aggressive. Pruning will restrain colonization and spread. The best time to prune this shrub is in spring after it finishes blooming because next year’s blooms are set on this year’s new growth.

If you have the space, this large shrub can be a nice addition to your garden. The delicate flowers when nothing else is blooming is reason enough to try this plant. The vase-shaped habit with along the attractive oval-shaped leaves that turn a golden yellow in the fall are added bonuses. Why not give one or two a try? I am always amazed each time it blooms.