Garden Tips
On Plant Care & Garden Maintenance
The following info is meant to be helpful for anyone interested in native gardening and should be viewed as general guidance rather than definitive rules. There are many variables at play which may affect the way you tend to your garden.
For example, watering schedules may change based on weather, the amount of mulch used, or specific plant requirements. Growth rates can vary based on site selection, individual plant variance or browsing pressure. And how much maintenance performed can be up to personal preference or HOA rules.
We hope these recommendations can be of use for anyone starting out, and, as always, please contact us with any questions!
Watering Schedules
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Spring Installations
Water deep to encourage root development.
Every 2 - 3 days for the first 2 weeks.
Every 5 - 7 days for the next 3 - 6 weeks.In subsequent summers, water during droughts if plant stress is observed (droopy foliage).
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Fall Installations
Water deep to encourage root development.
Every 2 - 3 days for the first 2 weeks.
As needed after that.Fall is perhaps the best time to plant native perennials due to consistent moisture and soil temp!
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Trees & Shrubs
Water deep & wide to encourage horizontal root development (the majority of woody roots grow in the top 4-15” of soil).
Trunk caliper < 2” twice weekly for 2 - 3 months.
Trunk caliper 2-4” twice weekly for 2 - 3 months.
Trunk caliper > 4” twice weekly or 4 - 5 months.
Native Perennial Growth
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Year 1
Native perennials spend their first year in the ground putting their energy into root development.
It is normal to see very little, and in some landscape plug cases, no growth above ground in year one.
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Year 2
In their second year, natives will grow above ground vegetatively (stems/foliage) & begin to spread.
Flowering will most likely occur in year two, though minimally for slower growing species.
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Year 3
You will see your garden’s full potential in year three.
Flowers will be in full bloom, grasses will be filled out, and the insects & wildlife will be frequent visitors!
Garden Cleanup
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Leave the Leaves
Using fallen leaves as mulch creates valuable habitat for an abundance of insects.
For example, butterflies and moths use leaf litter for winter protection. Bumblebee queens burrow beneath leaf litter to hibernate. Various beetles, including fireflies, spend their larval stages in leaf litter.
Besides the habitat you will create for these insects and more, a leaf layer will protect your plants’ roots and reduce the amount you need to water!
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Save Your Stems
Instead of cutting your plant stems to the ground in the fall, consider leaving them through winter for insect habitat creation.
Various native bees including carpenter bees, masked bees, and leaf-cutter bees make nests in hollowed out plant stems (as seen above).
Once temperatures consistently reach 60 degrees, you can then cut stems back at varying heights from one to two feet.
For more info on this process & its benefits, check out this awesome brochure created by Xerces Society.
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Repurpose "Yard Waste"
Many beneficial insects rely on what we consider “yard waste” for habitat and food. Consider using fallen leaves as mulch, dead plant stems in a brush pile, downed branches as garden borders, and lawn clippings as compost.
For smaller, suburban lots, create a designated zone in the rear of the yard for these micro-habitats, or utilize materials as decor (brush fences, path borders, etc.).
For larger, rural lots, refrain from burning your brush pile. Besides reducing CO2 emissions and improving the health of the soil, bugs, birds & wildlife will be grateful!