Once the native plant garden has been planted, the following year is the challenging task of identifying all of the baby plants coming up in the bed and deciding if they are seedlings of the natives or weeds coming into the garden. Many baby seedlings have seed leaves when they first come up and look nothing like their parents. Often just giving a mystery plant more time to develop will reveal it’s secret identity. There are a few good resources to use for seedling ID. The Seedling ID guide for native prairie plants sold by the Missouri Department of Conservation is a small flip book with photos of common prairie plants in the seedling stage. Grow Native also has a seedling ID list on their website at https://grownative.org/native-plant-info/seedling-identification/ . For weed ID I usually use the University of MO Extension site, https://weedid.missouri.edu/ . The Missouri Native Plant Society facebook page is also a good source for getting plant photo ID. When growing plants from seed it is helpful to look up what the seedlings look like before hand so that they are not accidentally weeded out or weeds allowed to grow under a mistaken identity. Even when germinating seeds in pots sometimes a weed seed will show up and crowd out the native seedling. A few things to look for when identifying a seedling. Feel the stem, square stems are mints, to tell grasses and sedges apart feel for edges on the stem of sedges. Does the foliage have a scent? The first two leaves to emerge are the seed leaves, these leave will not look like the parent so look for leaves above the first set when comparing to neighboring plants. Remember that seeds can flow downhill, so compare the seedling to plants uphill and upwind. Each year seedling ID will become easier as the gardener become more familiar with the native plants in the garden and the invasive weeds to keep out. The sooner a weed can be identified and removed, the easier it is to uproot. In the fall remove seeds from native plants that seed too aggressively in the garden to save work pulling out seedlings later. Removing seeds also removes food for birds so judge what is more important, to lower maintenance or provide food.

I have a neighbor on one side that loves my native garden and is always asking about my flowers and is eager to try any plants I give her. On the other side they are not so thrilled. They are afraid of the bees that visit my flowers and would like me to keep them out of their yard. They see my yard as an unkempt mess that threatens their perfect lawn. I wish that both my neighbors would love my garden as much as I do and see the beauty in it. However, I must put effort into educating and passifying my unhappy neighbor to keep peace in the neighborhood. When starting a native plant garden often the beginning stages can be ugly while beds are prepared and plants establish. Talk to your neighbors about what you’re doing and why. I like to bring them some of my old plant catalogs as well as information I have picked up from Grow Native to leave for them to read. Listen to their concerns and try to compromise, especially on their border. Invite Bring Conservation Home to speak at a neighborhood meeting. BCH has a very informative presentation about why native gardening is good for conservation and this is a good way to get more neighbors into native gardening. Once your native garden is established have a mini garden tour for the neighborhood. Bring your neighbors into the garden so they can see first hand how beautiful it is and why it is important. Put up an information station near the street with native plant info and free seeds. Also, put up a sign that is visible from the street stating that this is a native plant landscape. Pre-made professional signs are available from Wild Ones, Monarch Waystation, and Bring Conservation Home. There are a few design elements that are good for pleasing neighbors. It is important to make your garden look cared for and not like it was just left to grow wild. Wide paths, boarders and fences define beds and give everything an orderly look. Always keep sidewalks clear and don’t let tall plants or shrubs flop into the neighbors driveway. Plant the front yard in a more traditional planting and save the crazy natural plantings for the back yard. Add signs of human use to the garden such as sculptures, benches, and patios with potted plants. Neighbors can have many concerns about a native landscape. People are worried about wild looking areas attracting bees, mosquitoes, snakes, raccoons, mice, etc. I’m happy to invite all these creatures into my yard but I try to reassure the neighbors that they will not bother them. Neighbors also worry about weed seeds and leaves blowing into their yard. Try to keep your seeds and leaves on site where they can enrich the soil. Some people may also be worried about allergens such as rag weed. Educate the neighbor about the difference between rag weed and goldenrod that is not a common allergen. Some times a plant should be removed or cut back before it seeds to keep an allergic neighbor from being miserable. Remember that we are ambassadors for native plant landscaping. Each neighbor that we can get to fall in love with a native garden is a step in the right direction.

Many gardeners start out wanting to garden for wildlife and have a garden where all creatures feel welcome. The first time deer come to a garden is a must see experience as they gracefully walk towards the garden. Then they eat all the flowers and the romance is over! Keeping deer out of the garden can be difficult once they develop a taste for the plants or habitually visit the bird feeders. 10 ft fencing might not even be tall enough to stop a deer. One gardener I know keeps deer out by having two rows of fencing 6 ft apart. The deer do not have a clear landing area after they jump the first fence and can’t jump far enough to clear both fences at once. Another method is to use an electrified wire. Using a thin wire that the deer have trouble seeing but they will still hit with their bodies as they walk towards the garden will spook them. Individual trees can be protected from deer rubbing by placing several metal stakes around the trunk to intercept the horns before they get to the bark. There are also many deer repelling sprays that can be sprayed around the perimeter of the garden or directly on the plants. The problem with many of these sprays is that it also repels people and washes away with the first rain. Hanging bars of Irish spring soap around the garden works for some gardeners. Planting plants that are deer resistant can be a trial and error experience. Individual deer seem to develop a preference for different plants and tastes will also change depending on the season and how hungry the deer are. In general deer do not like strongly scented plants and plants with thorns. Deer have a very sensitive sense of smell and are offended by many odoriferous plants. Try plants such as mints, bee balm, yarrow, lizards tail, hyssop, onions, garlic and other plants that have a scent when the leaves are crushed. Deer also avoid milkweeds, dog banes, and blue stars that make an unpalatable sap. Cactus tend to be avoided by deer as well as plants that are hairy or very course like rattlesnake master, ferns, hibiscus, senna, and verbena. Outsmarting a deer in the garden may be almost impossible. Many times it is best to plant a variety of species, see what the deer leave alone, and use those species as the foundation of the garden. Special plants can be tucked away among plants the deer avoid or brought up close to the house for protection. Sometimes a garden will only need temporary protection until the plants get established by using fencing and sprays for the first year or two. Most native plants will tolerate deer brows, even being eaten down to the ground, as long as the plant has been able to establish a strong root system. Using a variety of deterrents to keep the deer on their toes and feeling unwelcome in the garden is the best long term way to deal with deer.

The common name purple poppy mallow is more widely used but since it is neither a poppy nor a mallow I prefer the name wine cup since it is more descriptive. The deep wine magenta color of the bloom is a nice contrast to the many yellows of early summer. Wine cup has a delicate one inch flower head and blooms May through August. This species prefers full sun and dry to average garden soil. One of the neat things about wine cup are the seeds, be sure to look for them after the bloom. The seeds are arranged in a wheel of little wedges like a cheese cake. When the seeds are brown and fall off the plant easily into your hand they are ready to collect. Wine cup stems are trailing and look great hanging over a rock wall. Wine cup is commonly used as a low ground cover since the stems lay across the ground. The stems do not root so no need to worry about aggressive spreading. Ground cover plantings are not dense enough to choke out weeds and the fragile stems can sometimes be challenging to weed around. In the wild, wine cup uses other neighboring plants to support its floppy stems. Mixing in with a savanna or prairie planting wine cup flowers will pop up here and there between other plants. There are three species of wine cup that you might run into in a native plant landscape. They have slightly different growth habits and bloom times. However, most garden centers will only have one species available to choose from. Callirhoe involucrata, purple poppy-mallow Callirhoe digitata, fringed poppy mallow Callirhoe bushii, Bush's poppy mallow I have a soft spot for Bush's poppy mallow since I did some research on conservation of this threatened plant in college. Whenever using rare plants in your landscape be sure that they come from a reliable source and have not been collected from a wild population. Plants and seeds collected from the wild can threaten wild populations. Digging up wild plants disturbs the soil, harming neighboring plants and adding empty space where weeds can come in and invade. Collecting seeds from the wild can harm a population by decreasing the number of new individuals and removing genetic diversity.

The pipevine swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor, is a large iridescent blue black butterfly with small tails and orange spots. The caterpillars of this butterfly can be found on the pipevine, Aristolochia, from where it gets it's name. The pipevine is a toxic plant but the pipevine caterpillars benefit from the toxin by ingesting it and storing in in their bodies so they too are toxic throughout their lives. The larval caterpillars can be found on the underside of the leaves and usually hang out in groups for safety. If you poke one, you will notice that they also have yellow horns which will expand out of their head. Our native pipevine, the Dutchman's pipe, Aristolochia tomentosa, is named for the pipe like flowers that appear in May through June. The blooms are small and concealed within the foliage so make sure to inspect your plant carefully. When the flower has been fertilized it expands into a large seed capsule filled with very orderly and tightly packed seeds. The pipevine is a woody vine that can easily overwhelm a trellis if it is not pruned. It also has the bad habit of popping up in other locations like many of our vines. If you have a suitable location this vine is an excellent choice with it's lush growth. Put it somewhere that you visit often so you are sure to poke through the leaves to find the flowers in spring and caterpillars in summer. Bring a caterpillar inside and watch it turn into a butterfly with your children. The swallowtail butterflies will be easy to spot in your garden and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you supported them throughout their life.

The luna moth (Actias luna) is beautiful green with a four inch wingspan. They are nocturnal and attracted to porch lights. It is wonderful when they land on the window in the evening so we can have a nice look. Adult moths only live about a week and do not eat so they are not attracted by nectar plants into the garden. The moth is only looking for love and a place to lay eggs.  The preferred host plants are trees including walnut, hickory, sumac, persimmon, and sweet gum. When the adult selects a tree they lay around 500 little brown eggs in batches of ten or less on the leaves which hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars live through five instars that each last about a week. All this time they are munching away on their tree and storing up energy for metamorphosis. When the caterpillar finally forms a cocoon it uses dried leaves and silk and rests on the ground in the leaf litter below the tree. When the weather is favorable the adult moth emerges from the cocoon to find a mate. When you are gardening for the luna moth be sure to plant their favorite host plants. Do not buy plants that are treated with insecticides or use insecticides in your garden. Especially for the luna moth, don't throw away or mulch the leaves under your tree or you may destroy the cocoon. I hope you make space in your garden so you can enjoy this special moth.

Many of you planted milkweed (Asclepias) plants and have noticed their plump crescent shaped pods in your garden. If you would like to increase your milkweed population or grow a few plants to give to friends, this is how to do it; As soon as the pod begins to split is the best time to collect the seeds. If you pick them right when the pod splits but before they fluff out it is easier to separate the seed from the fluff by holding the fluffy part and scraping down with your fingernail to separate the seeds. Do this in a place without a breeze or your seeds will blow away. Inspect your seeds for insects and remove them. For best results give your seeds 3 months of cold moist stratification before sowing. To do this place seeds in a plastic zip-lock bag or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Label the seeds on the outside of the container with the name and date. Add about equal volume of clean sand, peat moss, or sphagnum. Add water to moisten and then mix contents. Firmly squeeze any excess water from the soil mix. Store the container for three months in your refrigerator before attempting to germinate. Check the seeds occasionally to make sure they are not drying out. You are now ready to germinate your seeds. Prepare your pots with potting mix or clear a plot in your garden. Sprinkle the continents of your refrigerated container along the top of your soil. Try to space your seeds to have a few per inch. Cover very lightly with more soil, just a sprinkle. Clearly label and date the seeds in a way that the writing will not be washed away by water. Keep this area moist until the plants are established.

Don't miss opportunities to collect seeds in your garden. Having some seeds on hand is convenient for establishing new beds or trading seeds with friends. I try to collect a small amount of each garden species each year. Seeds loose their viability over time so it is best to replenish each year. I store my seeds in small brown coin envelopes but regular or homemade envelopes work fine. Be sure to mark the date on the seed packet so old seeds can be disposed of. Some plants are very easy to collect like coreopsis and columbine. For these I hold a clean tub beneath the plant and just lean the seed head over and pat it to let the seeds fall into the tub. Many beetles etc will also fall into the tub but they will leave if the seeds are laid out in the sun for a bit. Fluffy seeds like asters and liatris can have their heads clipped off and put them into a paper bag. Then I close up the bag and give it a good shaking to free the seeds. The seeds will fall to the bottom and can be poured out. Another way to collect seeds is to cut off the entire plant. I keep them loosely in a trashcan until they have dried. I strip off the stems as much as I can and then stomp the whole mess into a mulch. The seeds will be mixed in with lots of debris but can be sown directly all together. Some times the seeds can be screened or winnowed out of the mix. Remember that you don't need to collect every seed. There is no need to fuss around cleaning every little seed off of a plant, leave some for the wildlife. When propagating the seeds I use this propagation guide

Lizard’s tail (Saururus cernuus) Lizard’s tail gets it’s name from the white drooping flower stalk you can find June through September. The flowers attract small insects like bees, flies, and beetles. It’s arrow-shaped leaves grow on emergent stems that can grow to two feet tall. Lizard’s tail colonizes wet soil. This plant likes moist conditions in full to partial sun – pond edges, water gardens, rain gardens. I suggest growing it in a container in your pond to prevent escape.  What makes lizard's tail special to me is the way the plant smells. It has a licorice scent when you break a leaf or disturb the soil, which is a nice break from the anaerobic smells you usually get when messing around with pond plants.

#1 Use a rain barrel A rain barrel is a large water barrel that is attached to your downspout to collect rainwater. Using a rain barrel gives you a free supply of water for watering your garden. Using rainwater is a sustainable alternative to watering with tap water. Plants prefer rainwater and this also means less water needs to be chemically treated by the water company. If you have a big garden you might need a large rain barrel. #2 Build a rain garden Gardens that are designed to collect rainwater are called rain gardens. Letting the garden collect water keeps the soil moist for longer and prevents storm water runoff. When more water is allowed to percolate naturally into the soil, this help clean and slow down the water. Rain gardens should be planted with moisture loving native plants. #3 Use swales to direct water through the landscape Stand in your landscape during a rainstorm and watch as the water flows across it. If there are areas where you would like to direct it you can build a swale. A swale is a small ditch that can be as small as an inch deep. The rainwater follows the swale through the garden. Swales that are very curvy help to slow the speed of the water and promote infiltration. Slowing water as is moves across the landscape prevents erosion and flash floods. #4 Use less salt in winter Limit salt on your paths, sidewalks, and driveways in winter. To keep your walkways from being slick use an alternative like ashes, bird seed, or sand. Direct water away from your paths using swales. Surfacing your paths with a rough material like gravel or wood chips helps to keep them from being slippery and permeable surfaces allow water to seep away faster. Salt is harmful to plants and soil microbes in your garden and harmful to aquatic life once it reaches the stream. If you have to use salt use as little as possible. #5 Don't use fertilizer It is easy to add too much fertilizer to your landscape and the extra fertilizer flows into the creek and creates an algae bloom. To prevent the risk of over fertilizing, garden with native plants that don't need fertilizers. #6 Safely dispose of yard waste It is a common practice to dump yard waste into forgotten corners at the edge of our neighborhoods. Usually there is a neglected creek nearby which is polluted by all the extra organic matter. Even some municipalities that collect yard waste will dump it near a stream. Make sure that your yard waste is being composted a safe distance from streams. #7 Remove invasive plants Streams are often protected corridors for wildlife to live and travel. Stream corridors can be infested with invasive plants easily from our landscapes because of seeds traveling with storm water or birds bringing seeds from our gardens to the stream. Protect streams by removing all invasive plants on your land. #8 Grow deep roots Trees and many native plants grow large root systems deep into the earth. Deep root systems help to evaporate water in the soil by pumping water through the plant and back into the atmosphere. Roots also improve soil by breaking it up and adding organic matter which helps the soil absorb more water. #9 Stop errosion Soil erosion is a big problem in streams where stream life is smothered by all the mud in the water. When spaces between rocks in the creek bed are filled with sediment aquatic life has no place to attach or hide from predators. Protect garden soil from eroding by covering bare soil with mulch or plants. Slow down storm water flow to allow soil to settle out of the water before it gets to the stream. Lawn is a cause of many erosion problems because the short root system does not hold the soil in place and the short leaves allow water to quickly flow across. #10 Make zero runoff your goal Take responsibility for every drop of rain that lands on your landscape and try to keep it there. Slow down and infiltrate as much water as you can into the soil. Do a small part to protect your watershed starting with your own landscape.

It is garden tour season and there are two tours coming up that I never miss. The first one is the Sustainable Backyard Tour on Sunday June 10 from 11-4. Register here https://sustainablebackyard.org/attend-tour/ This tour has way more yards on it then you can possibly visit in one day so I read the descriptions and pick the ones that sound most interesting and are close enough together to get to easily. The yards range from beginner with big dreams to veteran gardener. I love the variety and the enthusiasm of the homeowners. The second one is the Native Plant Garden Tour on Saturday, June 16 from 9-4. Buy your ticket at Garden Heights Nursery, Greenscape Gardens, Rolling Ridge Nursery, or Sugar Creek Gardens. It is possible to visit all the gardens on this tour but I usually don't make it because I stop and talk too much. The gardens are always high quality with a wide variety of natives. There are several tour guides at each garden to answer questions and most plants are labeled. Garden tours are a wonderful way to find new inspirations for my garden. I always see beautiful plant combinations, creative garden art, and new techniques for solving common problems. When I was planning to put in my rain barrel system it was wonderful to visit several yards with systems and pick the best features of each for my garden. I also love to look at garden paths, how they are bordered, where they go, and what are they made of. I have trouble with mine washing out or with plants flopping into them so I'm always on the hunt for new solutions. The people I meet on the garden tours are always good connections. Everyone is passionate about native plants and gardening for a sustainable future. It is an easy way to make new friends. We commiserate about honeysuckle and gush over a bumble bee. This is where you find another person who has grown a milkweed from seed to a mature plant only to be thrilled when it is eaten to the ground by a hungry caterpillar and they then happily raise the caterpillar on harvested milkweed leaves until it becomes a butterfly and flies off to Mexico. Sign up for both tours now. Look over the booklets and pick your route to see the most gardens. Be sure to make time to stop and get cold drinks and lunch along the way. Bring your camera and your journal. Be ready to have your head spin with all your garden new ideas.

When I'm planting a new bed I like to set all my plants out before I start planting. I start by setting out my trees and shrubs. Then I place the plants that go around them and work outwards from there towards the edge of the bed. When you set the plants out first it gives you a chance to look over the layout before you get anything in the ground. Be sure to place the plants far enough apart to allow them to grow to their mature width without being crowded by their neighbor. This is also a good way to look at leaf texture since plants only bloom for a short part of the season it is good to have contrasting leaf textures and shades for year long visual appeal. I like to put down mulch on the bed first before planting. When I plant I have to pull back the mulch and remove soil and then plant the plant and put the soil and mulch back without getting it all mixed together. An alternative is to plant the plants first and then cover each one with it's pot to protect it while you put down the mulch. Either way be careful to not cover the new plants over with mulch and to not have the mulch piled up against the stem of the plant. After planting water everything really well. When placing the soil back air pockets are formed around the roots which can dry out the plant. When the plant is watered all the air pockets will fill up as the soil settles. When planting in hot weather you may see that the plants have wilted. Herbaceous plants can have some of their leaves removed to keep them from transpiring so much of their water and wilting. As the plants establish their roots they will also grow more leaves.