Seven Lessons I Have Learned About Native Plants

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Scott Vogt

Over the 26 years that I have been at the Arboretum, I have made my share of mistakes. Some examples include planting prairie dock in a formal garden design, starting a garden too fast, and/or not knowing my site. I had book knowledge about horticulture, but I had not learned much about native plants. Through trial and error – mostly error – I learned some hard lessons and even killed a few plants along the way. I am still learning, but here are seven lessons I believe are essential for a successful prairie garden.

1. Perennial and annual weed control

I have made this mistake too often. In a rush to plant, I don’t get problem weeds like bindweed and Bermudagrass under control before planting. I am still fighting this issue to this day in some of these landscape settings. However, when I take the time to properly eradicate these weeds, the overall long-term success of the garden increases and the work to maintain it decreases. A little work at the beginning will save you many headaches down the road.

2. Plants should match your site.

This is the most important principle to follow in developing a successful landscape. Take a critical look at the area you want to landscape with native plants. Is it sunny? It is shaded for part of the day? What type of soil do you have? Is there a microclimate? Is it exposed to wind? All these factors will guide you as you select plants for your site. This step requires some research and time as you familiarize yourself with the qualities and environmental needs of native plants.

*Spiderwort (purple), coreopsis (yellow) and penstemon (white) in spring bloom*

3. Succession of Bloom

There are no Wave Petunias in the prairie. If you visit a prairie landscape like the Konza Prairie every two to three weeks throughout the year, you will observe plants beginning to bloom, in full bloom or going out of bloom. That is how you need to design your native landscape. Include plants that bloom in every season of the year and then strategically add grasses for movement and texture in the winter months. Take time to acquaint yourself with the life cycles of wildflowers and grasses.

4. Plan your garden for all seasons of the year

This lesson took the longest to learn, because it meant becoming familiar with the complete life cycle of each native plant. I needed to learn all about them – their bloom times, soil conditions they need to thrive, mature height and what they look like when not blooming, including seedheads and forms. Most of these characteristics had to be experienced over several years. That information is vital to planning and developing a prairie garden.

5. Be Patient

A prairie garden does not magically appear overnight. I know this goes counter to our “instant everything” culture, but prairie plants don’t work that way. It takes time for those transplants or seedlings to develop root systems that will sustain them during the dry periods of the year. I remember visiting a prairie reconstruction in Wisconsin several years ago. It had been established from seed 20 years earlier and the prairie manager said it was just then really maturing into a true prairie. I have found that if you are patient, you will be rewarded by beautiful, strong and adapted native plants.

6. Start Small

Planting too much too soon – I have made this mistake many times. My eyes get bigger than I can manage. I like too many of these native plants and rather than working at a project in stages, I plant the whole area. I then spend the rest of the summer maintaining a planting that is too big for the time I can give it. It has a tendency to get out of hand in a hurry if I don’t keep up with it on at least a weekly basis. Plant an area that you can handle with your schedule.

7. Remember Why!

Most times we create something for our own enjoyment. A properly designed native garden can be very attractive to you aesthetically. What we often forget, but are quickly reminded of, is that native plants attract many different pollinators and other wildlife to our landscapes. If you plant them they will come.

Pollinators and wildflowers have a symbiotic relationship. Pollinators seek out the wildflowers they need and utilize them throughout the year. Monarch populations are declining. They need milkweed, and since we have milkweed in the Arboretum, they show up. Also, just like the monarchs, songbird populations are declining. They need prairie habitat for survival along with wildflower seeds to feed overwintering birds.

Obviously I have not figured everything out. Learn from my mistakes and maybe a few of your own. Gardening is not an exact science. What works for you may not work for me. Your site may be totally different from mine. The key is to keep learning. Try plants you believe will work in your landscape.

Besides learning lessons the hard way remember to connect with your WHY! The “WHY we do something” gets lost in the tasks of creating something new. I need to be reminded “WHY” from time to time to reset my focus. We each have our own unique perspective and motivation, but reconnecting with your “WHY” will move you ever closer to your native plant gardening goals.

Tree loss at the Arboretum

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Scott Vogt

One of the hardships of being a gardener is the loss of a long established tree. It is no different here at the Arboretum. We have lost a few trees that were planted at the founding of the Arboretum. The loss of these large specimen trees leave a huge hole in the landscape that will take another few decades to fill.

Austrian Pines

We continue to lose a few pine trees each year. All of our Scotch pines are gone due to pine wilt. We are now losing larger ponderosa and Austrian pines. We have a tree that is over 40 years old that was green last fall but is now totally brown, dead in less than six months. This could be due to a number of factors such as drought (although we watered it last summer into the fall), or some sort of tip blight. We believe this browning is blight. We are removing these trees as they die, which is heartbreaking.

*Austrian Pine turning brown from the bottom to the top*

Southwestern White Pine

This was one of the evergreen trees I recommended to plant a few years ago. It is no longer a viable alternative to some of the other two and three needle pines that have been lost to disease. We have lost a row of these due to pine wilt. Pine wilt causes a rapid decline of a pine tree in just a few months. The infected trees must be removed and burned to stop the spread.

River birch

In our parking lot median, we have slowly been losing an original row of river birch. Admittedly, this was not the ideal location for river birch. We were watering these trees almost weekly in the summer since they are not very drought tolerant and have shallow roots, which leaves them stressed in the heat sink of the parking lot. I see this same river birch scenario in other landscapes with river birch planted front yards and drier areas. Often times, these trees are struggling just as ours were unless they are receiving frequent irrigation through the summer. As their name implies, they grow best in wetter areas along streams, swales and ponds. We are replacing our river birch with a variety of deeper rooted trees such as oaks.

Autumn Purple Ash

What a big surprise this spring when this large white ash didn’t leaf out. One side has leaves, but the other side is completely bare. It has been infested with borers with have damaged the trunk, branches and stems. It showed no signs of disease last year. Even if I had seen and diagnosed the problem last fall, the treatment would not have been very effective. The result would have been the same. We are holding out hope that it will miraculously leaf out yet this spring. If not, it will need to be removed.

Pin Oak

It is well known that pin oaks suffer from iron chlorosis, which causes a yellowing of the leaves. Chlorosis in pin oaks is usually due to a deficiency of iron in the leaves. Iron is important for chlorophyll synthesis in plants, so when it is deficient, leaves cannot make chlorophyll, resulting in a yellow appearance. Chlorosis of pin oaks is typically associated with alkaline soil pH – pH greater than 7, which is common in our area. This iron deficiency eventually weakens the tree and stunts its growth. Trees can be treated by injecting iron into the trees or trying to change the pH of the soil. However, it is better to not plant these trees in our area. We are removing these trees and replacing them with varieties that don’t suffer from iron chlorosis.

Bottom Line

Having trees in Kansas is a luxury, especially large long-lived trees that provide wonderful shade. Kansas weather – with its extremes-wet, dry, hot, cold, and wind – are all challenges for trees. The other thing to keep in mind is that our area was originally prairie. Prairie is what grew best here, with trees relegated to creek bottoms and wetter areas. So growing trees here will always be demanding and ambitious. Even if we do everything right regarding trees in the landscape, there is no guarantee that a tree will grow and thrive.

We will continue replacing and planting trees here at the Arboretum. I believe a diverse selection of trees – different from the trees we have lost – is the answer. We will continue to lose trees, because they are living organisms susceptible to all sorts of diseases and problems. But keep planting, folks!

Echinacea Hybrids

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Scott Vogt

I read an interesting article about Echinacea (coneflowers) the other day. It highlighted the highs and lows of the newfangled coneflower cultivars over the last decade or so. You know – the ones in oranges, reds, yellows and every shade in between. It seems that many coneflower breeders are doing some soul searching and they are coming full circle, back to producing hardier varieties of our wonderful native prairie wildflowers.

*Yellow coneflowers with **Rudbeckia maxima** and prairie dropseed*

The Problems

One of the biggest criticisms of these bright colored coneflower hybrids has always been their (lack of) persistence in the landscape. If you were lucky, you could get one or two years out of them before they disappeared. Maybe one survived, but often you couldn’t find that variety anymore, because it had been replaced with another new form. You would have to go back and start over again with another new coneflower.

These coneflowers had other problems too. Winter kill, color fading and short bloom times soured gardeners toward coneflowers. They were not as reliable or persistent as their parents from the prairie.

*‘Julia’ is a hybrid coneflower sporting vibrant orange flowers on strong stems. Photo courtesy of Walter’s Gardens.*

Problem solving

I can still remember offering those first forms such as Orange Meadowbrite and Razzmatazz. These diverged from the adapted forms of Magnus, Ruby Star, White Swan and Kim’s Knee High in dramatic fashion. We no longer only had pink and white coneflowers, but a warm rainbow of colors available on the market. Everyone wanted to try some in their yards.

The problems quickly became evident and the novelty wore off. The coneflower fad stalled. Breeders began to look at coneflowers from a “whole plant” approach. A “good” coneflower was no longer identified by its unique color, but by the extended bloom times, heavy flower count, longer life span, and vibrant colors that don’t fade. Winter survival and multiple growing points were a focus as well.

Most of these colorful coneflowers are produced through tissue culture production. However, some seed forms with reliable color, such as Cheyenne Spirit and the Pow Wow series have become a cost effective alternative to tissue culture forms of coneflowers. These seeded forms are consistent, vibrant, and affordable.

Going Forward

The trend for new coneflowers forms and colors shows no sign of slowing. Innovation drives sales and new styles are always on the horizon. One of my recommendations is to always start with the true natives first. Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), narrowleaf coneflower (E. angustifolia), yellow purple coneflower (E. paradoxa) and purple coneflower (E.purpruea) are adapted to our climate. They are always a good bet in the landscape. Remember, the pollinators prefer these forms too.

*American lady butterfly on Echinacea angustifolia at Chase State Fishing Lake, near Cottonwood Falls, KS (Photo Credit: Brad Guhr)*

*Our native **Echinacea pallida** always has thin, reflexed petals and a pale purple hue.*

We have been tinkering with coneflowers for a long time and that will continue. The simple prairie coneflowers that we have moved into our landscapes often don’t look the same. I believe these changes come with a price. Sure you get uncommon colors, but it is obviously not the same prairie plant. Do pollinators recognize them?

If you want to try some of these new colors, choose wisely after doing some research. One of the best new coneflowers, according to the Mt. Cuba coneflower trials, is Sensation Pink.

*Echinacea blooming along pond at Dyck Arboretum (Photo Credit: Brad Guhr)*

Preparing to Establish a Landscape with Native Plants

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Scott Vogt

It’s obvious to me that interest in landscaping with native plants continues to expand. More and more people are reconnecting with the natural world through their native landscapes. Besides creating habitat for wildlife, including pollinators and insects, these newly developed gardens conserve water, reduce chemical and pesticide use and beautify the landscape. As you think about preparing to establish a landscape with native plants, here are some things to consider.

Analyze the Location

You know your garden better than anyone. You know the soil type. Does it stay wet or is it extremely dry or something in between? You know how much sun your area receives during the day and throughout the year. You know where the water flows. Are there areas that you can utilize as a background or backdrop? Is there something you are trying to screen? Is there an area you are trying to develop? These are important questions that ultimately determine the types of plants you will choose.

Prepare the Site

Site preparation doesn’t have much to do with plant selection, but it is an important step to consider any time you are preparing to establish a landscape. You need to get perennial weeds such as bindweed and Bermuda grass eradicated before you plant your garden. If these weeds are not eliminated, they will overrun and out compete anything you plant. Trust me on this. I am still fighting these weeds in certain areas in my yard because I didn’t complete this step.

It is also good to define the area with some kind of border. Start by laying out a garden hose and moving it around until you settle on size and shape that seems appropriate for the space. I recommend starting small. Develop an area you can manage and fits your lifestyle. You can always expand, but a bed that is too large can quickly become overwhelming. Once you have defined the border, I use metal edging, brick, limestone or landscape stone as a buffer for a mower or weed eater. Edging makes your native garden look intentional.

Choose the Plants

Once you have gathered all this information about your site and all the initial work has been done, you are ready to decide which plants will grow well together. The most important step in the selection process is matching plants to the site. There are a group of plants or a plant palette that will grow in your site with little or no water once fully established. You need to become familiar with every aspect of the plants through investigation, research and experience. I often start with one or two plants I know will grow in this location. Once I have established them as the foundation, the other plant combinations come easier.

I design each landscape with the finished picture in mind. I consider heights, bloom time, habit, forms and textures. We often only think about these plants when they are in bloom. But don’t forget their other qualities, such as seed heads that provide visual interest in the winter months. It provides you an opportunity to highlight these qualities with another perennials or native grasses (e.g. coneflower seed heads against little bluestem).

I group plants together for visual affect and stagger blooms throughout the season. Conceptually, I lay out plants in such a way that plants with different bloom times are next to one another. For instance, I would not plant two spring bloomers next to one another, but rather a spring bloomer next to a fall bloomer next to a summer bloomer. I even like to mix some grasses with certain perennials so you have the structure of the grasses propping up the perennial. Also, you want something coming into bloom and going out of bloom from spring through fall. Grasses add wonderful texture and movement to the garden during the winter months.

Maintenance

One of the misconceptions about native plants is that you just plant it and forget it. That is generally not the case. Establishing native plants in your garden or landscape usually requires putting extra work in those first few years. It takes time for those root systems to fully develop. Over time, you will begin to reap the benefits of native plants, especially if you have done your homework before you put the first plant in the ground.

Those tiny plants are most vulnerable during the first two or three weeks after planting. You must water them daily and sometimes twice a day in warm, dry seasons until you start to see some new growth. There is a fine line between over watering and under watering. Generally, you try to rehydrate the potting soil of those plants each time you water. Many maintenance practices used for traditional cultivated plants also work for native plants.

The first couple of years, I try to keep the tags around the plants so I don’t accidentally pull a small wildflower or grass. Pull all the winter and summer annual weeds when they are small and certainly don’t let them go to seed. February or March is the time to prepare your bed for spring.

Northwind Switchgrass cut back and ready for spring

Your native landscape connects you to the land. The economical, ecological and beautiful garden you create can be enjoyed for years to come. I predict that your native landscape will be a hub of pollinator and butterfly activity. It will be an important link to other gardens in your neighborhood. It may even inspire you to establish other prairie gardens in your landscape.

Your success may influence others to follow your example. A native plant garden should be cherished, because you are helping the natural world in so many far-reaching ways. Believe it or not, your garden will have a positive impact. So get started! Let your imagination and creativity inspire your design.

Bearer of the Ammonite by Paul Friesen. Photo Courtesy of Jen LeFevre

Photo Credit

Plant Profile: Native Irises

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Scott Vogt

When we think about spring, bearded irises often come to our minds. These resilient harbingers of spring often carry personal meaning for gardeners. Many have been shared and passed down from family and friends through the years. For my family, we have nice yellow and white bearded irises from my wife’s mother. They are beautiful reminders of the past that now brighten the spring landscape. We also have some of the more traditional lavender and purple bearded iris. These imported forms come in thousands and thousands of colors and sizes, with more developed every year.

There are over 300 species of irises in the world and there are six different sizes of bearded iris alone. Most of these are native to Europe and Asia. Even though these exotic iris enliven the developing spring landscape, some of the native forms of iris deserve a place in the landscape too. Here are a few garden worthy native Irises that I would recommend.

Dwarf Crested Iris-Iris cristata

If you are looking for a shade tolerant groundcover, this diminutive mat-forming wildflower fits the bill. The underground rhizomes slowly spread in and around other shade loving perennials. It has the distinctive narrow pointed leaves that iris have only smaller. In spring, plants brighten the ground with myriads of small blue-violet irises. This spring beauty prospers in woodland settings with average well drained soils.

*Iris cristata* ‘Eco Bluebird’ Photo credit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_cristata

Copper Iris-Iris fulva

This unusual iris has coppery or reddish flowers in late April through June. The beautiful flowers have three sepals and three petals each arching away from the stem. Like traditional iris, copper iris has bladelike leaves along the flower stems that emerge from a rhizome. They grow two to three feet tall and spread one to two feet. They prefer wetter conditions and thrive in swamps and bottomland forests, and along the edges of sloughs, ditches, canals, and ponds, often in shallow water. It is a species that should be used more often in home gardens, rain gardens, ponds, and water features.

*Iris fulva*

Photo Courtesy
Blue Flag Iris-*Iris virginica shrevei*
There are several native iris under the title of blue flag iris. This iris, commonly known as “Southern Blue Flag”, has a native range in most of the Eastern United States in wetlands and marshes. In June, the striking pale lavender blooms with yellow throats open above the foliage. We have some of these growing on the pond edge in moist, sometimes shallow water. It spread by rhizome to form attractive colonies. Mature height is two to three feet with clumps spreading several feet from the original plant. Give it full sun to partial shade. The key to success for this native iris is adequate or consistent moisture.

*Iris virginica*-Southern Blue Flag Iris Photographed at Ranch North Woods Preserve, Pulaski County, Arkansas
http://By Eric Hunt – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72555262

Other Irises

Iris ‘Black Gamecock’ (Louisiana hybrid), *Iris versicolor* (Northern blue flag), and *Iris brevicaulis* (blue flag).

Many of these native species of iris are threatened by habitat loss. They are rare or are becoming more rare. Their fragile ecosystems can easily be damaged, so be careful not to disturb iris that you do find in the wild. Admire and take pictures, but don’t try to dig them up because most native irises are extremely difficult to transplant. Most of these plants will not survive the shock of dividing and transplanting. For this reason, on national forest lands, it is illegal to dig or pick the irises. If you have a spot, plant a few native irises grown by reputable nurseries, so you can appreciate, conserve and enjoy these beautiful wildflowers.

We will have several of these iris species available at FloraKansas Native Plant Days.

2023 Native Plant Guide

Fun facts from Bonnie Neubrand’s 2023 calendar:

Iris symbolize: Eloquence, hope, wisdom, communication and faith.

325 species of iris worldwide

50,000 registered varieties of iris

There are two groups of iris – bearded and beardless

Size varies from 5 feet tall to less than 8 inches tall

Origins in the United States trace to Virginia where bulbs were probably planted in the 1600’s

Iris bulbs can be toxic to pets

Keystone Natives for the Food Web

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Scott Vogt

I have been reminded over the past few weeks about about the importance of keystone natives. There is a growing body of research that touts the benefits of keystone species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses to the food web. According to Doug Tallamy, landscapes without keystone plants will support 70–75% fewer caterpillar species than a landscape with keystone plants, even though it may contain 95% of the native plant genera in the area. Keystone plants must be included in your native garden design.

Take a look at Doug Tallamy’s book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard for more data.

The food web includes, plants, insects, pollinators, birds, lizards, toads, frogs, and mammals, from rodents up through bears. Each is reliant on the other for their survival. Tallamy focuses much attention on trees that support the food web such as oaks, cherry, cottonwood, willow, and birch. However, there are many native perennials that are also key components of this food web. To provide a solid foundation for a healthy food web in your garden, start with this list of native wildflowers to include in your landscape:

Goldenrods (Solidago sp.)

These summer blooming wildflowers with bright yellow flowers can be striking in the landscape. However, they have a reputation for causing allergies. In truth, this is unlikely because goldenrod pollen is large and heavy and is not carried by the wind. Rather, it is giant ragweed that is spreading pollen through the air at the same time. The plant is insect-pollinated by many wasps, moths, beetles, honey bees, monarch butterflies and other beneficial pollinators searching for a sip of nectar. In total, 11 specialist bees and 115 different caterpillars need these plants. There are around 50 species of insects with immature forms that feed on the stems of goldenrod.

I like Solidago rigida, Solidago nemoralis, Solidago ‘Wichita Mountains’, Solidago canadensis ‘Golden Baby’, and Solidago ‘Fireworks’ for sunny areas. For shade, I choose to plant Solidago odora, Solidago ulmifolius or Solidago caesia. It is safe to say that goldenrods are powerhouse plants that deserve a place in your native garden.

Asters

A diverse genus that supports 112 species of insects, asters are a valuable late-season (September – November) source of pollen for bees and nectar for bees and butterflies. During the summer, the asters are host plants to the caterpillars of some of the crescent and checkerspot butterflies. As summer wanes, asters start blooming with colors of white, purple, and pink depending on the species. Fall provides a unique challenge for pollinators and asters help with both migration and overwintering butterflies and bees.

A few of my recommended forms are Aster oblongifolius ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ and ‘October Skies’, Aster novae-angliae varieties, Aster laevis and Aster ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’ for sun. In a shady area, try Aster divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’, Aster cordifolius, and Aster macrophyllus.

Sunflowers (Helianthus sp.)

There are eleven species of sunflower recorded in Kansas. These wildflowers are not usually fit for a formal garden setting, because they spread vigorously by seeding and rhizomes. They have a tendency to push out other desirable plants. However, they support 73 species of insects, so we maybe need to find a place for them.

I’m not referring to the large-headed annual cultivars you see growing in a field, but rather the true native perennials with bright yellow flowers seen growing along the roadside in the late summer and early fall. Plants provide lots of nectar and pollen, and the seeds are eaten by many birds and other wildlife. I would encourage you to try a few sunflowers in the peripheral areas of your yard where they can spread out and have room to roam.

*Maximillian Sunflower and Big Bluestem*

Milkweeds

Monarchs are in peril. Milkweeds are one of the answers to reversing their plight. By planting more milkweeds, monarch will find these larval food sources more readily. Milkweeds are larval host plants for Monarch and Queen Butterflies and the Milkweed Tussock Moth. Many bees, wasps, butterflies and beetles visit milkweed flowers for the nectar. Milkweed plants typically produce a lot of nectar that it is replenished overnight. Nocturnal moths feast at night and other pollinators flock to these important plants during the day.

Choose butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) or green antelope horn milkweed for your formal garden and common, Sullivant’s, or whorled milkweeds for the outskirts of your property.

*Newly hatched monarch caterpillar on common milkweed.*

Blazing Stars (Liatris sp.)

Liatris are very important wildflowers. The vibrant purple blooms in summer support many great insect species. They are quite adaptive with different species growing in dry to moist soil conditions. There is literally a blazing star for just about every garden setting.

I prefer Liatris pycnostachya and Liatris aspera, but many others, including Liatris ligulistylis and Liatris punctata, are nice too.

Planting just natives is not enough. Garden designs and plant communities must contain at least some keystone plants to positively impact the food web. This is the start of a list, but there are certainly more plants to choose from. Check out Keystone Natives for the Food Web-Part 2 and Keystone Natives for the Food Web-Shrubs.

March Gardening Checklist

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Scott Vogt

While March can still be cold in Kansas and we can get some significant snow and ice, there are still opportunities to spend time in your garden. Here is a March gardening checklist that will prepare your garden to thrive in the coming year.

Prune trees and shrubs

This is a perfect time to be pruning trees and shrubs. Maybe there is a branch that is always in the way while you mow, or shrubs that are encroaching on a walkway. Cut them back. Keep in mind to only prune shrubs that flower on new wood. Pruning shrubs like forsythia and lilacs will remove blooms for this spring. Spring blooming shrubs can be pruned after they are done blooming in late April or May so they have time to set new buds for next year. Check out this blog by Katie, Old Wood, New Buds: A Pruning Guide.

*Don’t lose your lilac blooms, prune at the perfect time! Photo by AnRo0002 (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.*

Cut back flower beds

Now through March is the time to trim back ornamental perennials and grass stalks to clear room for new growth. By cutting these plants back it you allow sunlight to reach the crowns and warm the soil. We have talked about it several times, but it is worth repeating – if you can help it don’t carry stalks away from your garden. Leave them as natural mulch. These stems and stalks harbor native pollinators that you want to keep in your landscape. If thatch is too thick, remove it to an obscure place in your yard or along the alley.

*Northwind Switchgrass cut back and ready for spring*

Apply compost to soil

If you haven’t already, empty out your compost bin and put it on your garden. Prepare your garden soil if it’s dry enough to work. Dig in compost and other amendments when your soil can be worked. Only do this if your soil is dry enough.

How do you know when it’s safe to work the soil? When a ball of soil crumbles easily after being squeezed together in your hand, it’s dry enough. With our clay soils, avoid compacting your garden soil. Wait until it’s dried out before tilling, planting, or even walking in the garden beds.

Loosen mulch

Mulch has a tendency to fuse together, especially with mulch more than a couple inches thick. This cake layer along the top resists moisture penetration and seals off the soil, restricting good air exchange. It is good each year to rough up the mulch with a fork or rake to break that seal. This will open up the soil to moisture and positive air movement. Tree and shrub mulch rings and shrub borders will benefit the most from this exercise. While you are at it, maybe a fresh layer of mulch is needed. I typically have 2-3 inches of mulch around these woody plants.

*Arizona Cypress nicely mulched on a berm.*

Continue to gather ideas

There is so much information available to gardeners these days. Choose plants that create habitat and attract wildlife to your yard. Review your garden journal from last year. Read horticulture magazines. Attend the lectures and presentations at your local garden shows such as the Harvey County Garden Show on March 25 and 26 here at the Arboretum.

Regardless of what season the calendar says, there is always something to do in the garden. Spring is coming, so now is the time to get ready. I don’t know about you, but I am ready to see some blooming plants again.

*Yellow crocus in the xeric garden brighten a winter day*

Native Grasses FAQ

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Scott Vogt

After my Native Plant School class last week, there were several good questions about native grasses that are worth addressing again.

Question 1: How do you clean up native grasses in the late winter (Feb-March)?

Grasses tend to remain attractive well into winter, providing texture, movement and continuity to the garden. However, they eventually need to be cut back in preparation for spring. We use a gas powered hedge trimmer because we have so many grasses to cut back. The stems are tough but the trimmer easily cuts through them especially compared to hand pruners or loppers.

Starting at the top of the grass, we just cut through the grasses back and forth at 2-3 inch intervals until the grass is cut down to 2-4 inches off the ground. We then scatter the cuttings around the base of the grass so that it is not too thick. The trimmer makes quick work of a five foot grass. If the pile at the base of the grass is too thick, we scatter the clippings someplace else in the garden. This way you are keeping all those overwintering insects in your yard.

In our recent Winter Lecture Series, guest speaker Heather Holm suggested an even more insect-centric approach to spring garden clean up. Gain access to her presentation HERE.

FUN FACTS!

There are more than 400 different native bee species in Kansas.
An estimated 30% of native pollinators nest in pithy stems of plants such as native grasses and wildflowers.
Dead branches or logs decaying provide excellent habitat. Create a small bush pile for birds and pollinators. Overwintering butterflies and ground nesting bees can be found in brush piles and the decomposing wood gives fireflies a place to lay their eggs.
Nearly 70% of native pollinators are ground-nesting, burying into the soil to reproduce. Open soil without landscape fabric or two to three inches of mulch allow these burrowing insects to easily access the soil.

Question 2: When is the best time to plant buffalograss?

Buffalograss is a native warm-season sod forming grass. It needs at least six hours of direct sunlight for it to germinate and grow healthy. It spreads by stolens and has fine blue-green leaves. New seeded forms of buffalograss have been developed over the years such as Cody, Bison, Bowie, Plains, Topgun and Sundancer. Most of these seed forms are available online and some are available at regional Farmers Cooperatives. Seeding can be done anytime from May through August 15 as long as the soil temperatures at a two inch depth are above 60 degrees. Check out Buffalograss: Five Keys to a Successful Plantin g on our website.

Question 3: Can you list out the heights and mature sizes of the grasses?

One of the key components of a successful native landscape design is situating grasses. Repeating taller grasses at regular intervals looks formal while these same taller grasses at irregular intervals is relaxing and less formal. Grasses unify and blend your landscape together and they are wonderful companion plants with other wildflowers and shrubs.

Short= 4-24 inches, Examples: prairie dropseed, blue grama, pink muhly, sideoats grama, june grass, “Blonde Ambition” blue grama, purple love grass, and Nassella tenuissima,
Medium= 2-4 feet, Examples: Little bluestem, Little bluestem cultivars, Sideoats grama, Blonde Ambition blue grama, Northern sea oats, Pink Muhly grasses, “Cheyenne Sky” switchgrass, “Shenandoah” switchgrass, and sand love grass (Eragrostis trichoides).
Tall= 4-7 feet, Examples: Big bluestem and cultivars, Indian grass and cultivars, Eastern gamma grass, prairie cordgrass, switchgrass and switchgrass cultivars.

*Indiangrass against the Kansas sky*. *Photo by Brad Guhr.*

Advantages to Using Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Scott Vogt

As I was preparing for my next Native Plant School class on the Wonderful World of Grasses, I was reminded why I love grasses in the landscape. Here are a few thoughts about why ornamental grasses are such an important component of a successful habitat garden.

Versatility

There is so many different ways you can use ornamental grasses in the landscape. Distinct grasses introduced into your landscape will serve different purposes.

I love the way shorter grasses like prairie dropseed look along a walkway or border. Combine these grasses with shorter perennials and it really sets off the edge of a planting bed. Ornamental grasses are a great alternative groundcover to traditional turf grass such as fescue, too.

I use larger ornamental grasses typically as a backdrop for medium to tall perennial wildflowers or as a screen to hide something like a gas meter or transformer. These taller varieties billow out to create volume as they grow to fill in spaces. They also can be used to punctuate the design as focal points. Grasses are structure plants that mix well with other seasonal wildflowers such as black-eyed Susan or asters.

Varied Appearance

When it comes to ornamental grasses, there is one for just about every landscape situation. The distinct features, varied heights, forms, colors and varieties give you options to diversify and contrast plants in your landscape. Fine or coarse foliage of green, blue, purple, tan and red hues planted together with interesting seedheads add visual interest and texture in winter. All these features lead your eyes through your outdoor space. As the grasses transition into fall, many develop attractive fall color and interesting seed heads. In the winter, taller grasses capture snow and move with the gentlest breeze.

*Sorghastrum nutans GOLDEN SUNSET® (‘MNYG318153’ PP33776) Photo by Walters Garden*

*Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Twilight Zone’ PP27432 Photo courtesy of Walters Garden*

Easy Maintenance

Over the past few years, more and more people are including ornamental grass in their landscape. As we have said they are versatile and beautiful. They are also reliable in our unpredictable Kansas climate. Grasses are a low-maintenance landscape option once established. The deep roots help grasses combine well with other perennials. They don’t need fertilizer because that will make them grow quickly and flop. They grow on their own without the need for pruning or maintenance. We usually cut our grasses back in late winter around February or March in preparation for spring.

Environmental Benefits

Most ornamental grasses and especially warm season grasses such as switchgrass and big bluestem are resistant to heat and drought. They don’t require a lot of extra moisture through the growing season which conserves water in the garden. Overall, native or ornamental grasses are pests or disease free which reduces the need for pesticides, so you don’t pollute local waterways.

As I mentioned earlier, grasses have deep root systems that are great at holding soil and eliminating erosion. Probably the biggest advantage of including ornamental grasses in your gardens is that they create habitat. Wildlife and pollinators use grasses for overwintering, resting, and sourcing food. Grasses are familiar elements of the natural environment for wildlife. Add a few grasses and see what and who arrives in your yard.

Shiny New Plants for 2023

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Scott Vogt

In one of the horticulture magazines I received this week, I was drawn to an article about some shiny new plants for 2023. I don’t know what it is about new plants, but I like to see the unique, unusual and up and coming each year. It is one of the great things about gardening – there are always new plants on the horizon. Like some people wait for the new models of cars, gardeners wait with anticipation for the newest varieties and forms of vegetables, flowers, grasses, trees and shrubs. I can’t afford a new car, but I can afford a few new plants.

As I look at some of these new plants, I have to temper my enthusiasm. New isn’t always better. I have been burned by some of these shiny new plants in the past. There are some plants that are interesting, but will they grow here? Will they hold up to the rigors of the Kansas climate like true native plants do?

Natives – Always a good place to start

For obvious reasons, we promote the use of natives in the landscape – the same plants you would see growing out in the prairie are well-adapted to grow in Kansas. If properly matched to your site, a community of native plants will thrive with little input once established. This mixture of plants is a perfect habitat for wildlife (including pollinators) and requires less water and no pesticides over time.

*Butterfly weed and Pale Purple Coneflower*

With that said, is there a place for some of these new varieties in the landscape? In my opinion, yes. Certainly, there are some new plants that are NOT worth trying. These are usually discernible. They will wilt and/or struggle to grow in the Kansas climate. Think of a summer day with 30 mph south winds. That will make or break many of these new plants. However, a handful of new forms each year, if tested and tried, will survive the hardships of our climate.

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, Schizachryrium scoparium ‘Twilight Zone’ and Aster oblongifolius ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ are a few examples of garden worthy ‘nativars’ for Kansas. These sure forms have so much to offer in the garden. Their form, texture, color, habit, or blooms along with resilient qualities make them good choices in sunny locations. My approach to landscape design has always been to mix and match natives and varieties of natives. I like the predictability of some of these selected plants that can be combined with true natives to still create a layered, attractive and interesting combination of plants that creates habitat for wildlife.

*Twilight Zone Little Bluestem. I love that purple cast to the foliage. Photo courtesy Walters Gardens.*

Yes, natives and selections

Again, not every new plants is appropriate for our garden situation, especially in Kansas. It is up to you how to determine how purely native you want your landscape to be. I take the “yes, native and ‘some others’” approach to my garden design. Sure there have been some duds regarding new plants that didn’t pan out, but others have been a success.

To me there is value in having as diverse a landscape as possible, both native and ‘nativars’. Only by testing and trying these new plants will we be able to determine if they have the staying power in the garden. Do your research and choose wisely. I have become very selective/skeptical when it comes to new plants, but I can always find a place for a few new plants each year worth taking a chance on. Diversity attracts diversity.

P.S. Vegetables/edibles are in a whole other ball game when it comes to new plants and varieties. Heirloom varieties are important because they hold the original genetic code and generally taste better. However, newer varieties and selections are disease resistant, vigorous, and typically yield better. Another trend with vegetables is growing edibles in containers on your patio or deck. Who doesn’t like to walk onto your deck and pick a fresh tomato?