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.

As a child one of the first wildflowers that I learned to identify was the spiderwort. The bright clusters of blue, purple, and pink flowers are at the perfect height for a child to examine carefully for bees. Spiderwort is a flower for the morning gardener. If you only enjoy your garden in the evening all you will see are tightly closed buds. I would always try to pick them to bring in a bouquet but spiderwort is a defiant plant.  It wilts if you pick it to bring it indoors and it can't be pressed in a book. You have to enjoy it outside in it's own space. Picking spiderwort also gives you the most beautiful shade of purple smeared fingers. Jan Phillips says that spiderwort leaves and stems can be eaten in a fresh salad but it is kind of gooey for me. When you break the stem a clear slimy sap runs out. When you garden with spiderwort be careful to pick the right one, each species has different needs. The most common, Tradescantia ohiensis, grows tall in the prairie garden in summer. The blooms are blue from May-July and the plant needs the support of other plants to not flop over. You may also see this one on roadsides. In my yard I have Tradescantia ernestiana which is short and grows in the woodland garden. It blooms earlier with pink flowers in April and May and grows in multi-stemmed clumps. There are several more spiderwort varieties to choose from so pick the one that is best for your space. The name  Tradescantia was given to the genus in honor of the botanist who introduced it to England in 1629. Spiderwort is now naturalized there. In Missouri spiderwort can also be a little weedy but is easy to hand pull. In my garden it likes to come up in the path and in the compost pile.

The Star of Bethlehem wins March's least favorite plant of the month award. I first saw the Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum ) at Emmenegger Park on a trip to look for spring flowers. When I looked it up in my wildflower book I was surprised to see that it wasn't a native flower. Soon I recognized Star of Bethlehem in a garden I was caring for and decided to be a benevolent gardener and let it be to see how it grew. This flower is one of the first green shoots out of the ground in late February and is a very welcome sight, soon after that it has a simple white flower. The leaves wither away in the summer heat and then there is no sign of the plant until next spring. Well, it spreads quickly! The patch of flowers was doubled in size the next year with a few small patches in other parts of the yard. Star of Bethlehem grows from a bulb that creates bulblets and can form dense colonies. The bulbs are very hardy and if you dig them up and put them in the compost you will grow the evil plant everywhere you spread your compost. The most effective way to remove Star of Bethlehem is to dig out each little bulb in March as soon as they emerge. They must be dug out carefully to not break off the leaves or leave any bulblets in the ground. When taking the dirt off the plants do not put the dirt back into an unaffected area because a small missed bulb will start a new population. Ineffective methods of removing the Star of Bethlehem that I have tried include; composting, repeated pulling or mowing of the leaves, burying it a foot deep, outcompeting with aggressive plants, and solarizing. Digging out each bulb and removing it from the garden is the only way I know to kill it and pieces will be missed so infected areas will need to be cleared for several years. Learn to recognize this spring ephemeral and take early action when spotted. It is so much easier to remove it now than when it is completely tangled up with roots of other garden plants. March is a great time to get out and look for many invasive species and take early action.

In many conservation efforts there is a poster child species that is photogenic and beloved that is chosen to represent the campane in the public eye. One of those species that has been doing a lot of work recently is the monarch butterfly. The monarch is an amazing species with an international footprint but here at home it represents natural prairies and meadows across the midwest. A world saved for the monarch is a world with road edges covered in native wildflowers that are never sprayed with insecticides or mowed during the summer. This world would also have backyard gardens shared throughout neighborhoods with continuous blooms for nectar and lots of milkweed plants. When we make an effort to save the monarch we are saving an entire ecosystem of plants, insects, and birds that need these continuous tracks of native flowers and grasses. We are making safe spaces for plants that are declining from loss of habitat in the wild by bringing them into urban spaces and giving them value and a place in our lives. Insects and birds will find our native gardens to be a wonderful oasis to thrive. Life causes more life and the monarchs are just one little piece. When we make a place in our heart for an orange and black butterfly there will soon also be a space for the milkweed flower, the crab spider hiding in the petals, the tussock moth with the crazy hair, and even the orderly row of tiny aphids along the plant stems. Remember the big picture when talking about monarch butterflies and all the species represented when we say "Save the Monarchs!" Here is another blog post I recommend about insects on milkweeds http://driftlessprairies.org/insects-and-milkweed/

The Grow Native! program offers many resources that native gardeners can use to learn about natives and educate others to promote natives, most of which are available at www.grownative.org.  These resources include: --the Native Plant Database, which is searchable --numerous Top Ten Native Plant lists, with recommendations from native plant expert Scott Woodbury of Shaw Nature Reserve. These can be printed off and are useful for educational programs. --native landscaping plans --on-line Grow Native! Resource Guide to Native Plant Suppliers and Services -- arranged by type of product or service (a print version is available; chapters may request quantities to give out at events). --map of Grow Native! professional members who are native plant retailers, for quick reference --Milkweed and monarch fact sheet in Spanish --Resources about native shrubs and trees --Fact sheet on why songbirds need native plants I didn't write this, it is just info about a resource. Besa

Seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia Seedbox is a raingarden plant that provides good texture when planted with red and blue Lobelias and sedges. Ludwigia has excellent fall color and winter interest. It grows about 2 ft tall and 3 ft wide. It will self seed but does not crowd out other plants in my experience. I plant seedbox because of the seed head. It is a tiny box with a small hole for the dust like seeds to sprinkle out of. The seed heads will persist through the winter and look very cute with their snow caps. It also provides structure for a raingarden to keep the soil covered. The red fall color is amazing. I see many tiny bees visiting the yellow flowers in June and July. The humming birds will also use it as a perch when they are visiting the cardinal flower. Ludwigia grows best in raingardens and swales. It likes to have moist soil but not standing water. Plant it in full sun for best fall color. You can see seedbox at Shaw Nature Reserve in the raingarden demonstration. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e113 It is for sale at most native plant retailers.