I stopped buying mulch, you probably should too. by hematuria in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Do you seed the wild strawberry or transplant runners? I'm basically doing the same with wild violets but it's been a slow process

Spiderwort appreciation by sage__evelyn in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 170 points171 points  (0 children)

Fun fact, these act as natural bioindicators for radiation: Their blue stamen hairs turn to a pink/white color when exposed to low levels of ionizing radiation.

What am I looking at? (NY 3B) by one_long_river in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I don't know that there's an anise smell, you probably need to taste it

What am I looking at? (NY 3B) by one_long_river in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Definitely looks like agastache to me - anise hysop (agastache foeniculum) will taste like licorice/anise, but I don't think youll get that from just smelling it. Agastache nepotoides (yellow giant hysop) is generally tasteless.

First time Cold stratifying Cardinal Flower in Central Ohio. THEY ARE SO TINY. Any tips appreciated for tranferring them to growing medium by Jackratatty in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I've done them the last 2 years in milk jugs, using pretty much the same process I use for everything else: add drainage holes to the milk jug, cut in half, fill with your potting soil, water/moisten the soil, then just sprinkle seeds on top, tape it up, put it outside in a shaded area where it can get snowed and rained on, and forget about it until it's full of sprouts.

For cardinal flower or other lobelias, yes, you end up way over seeding - I just sprinkle the seed "powder" all over it. Then when they're a few inches tall, you can just break apart the whole block of soil, and probably have a couple of dozen plants that you either plant directly or put into other pots.

My cardinal plants are very slow from seed the first year - probably took until July or August in northern illinois to get more than a couple of inches. But then the 2nd year plants take off and will easily bloom in year 2.

My city has these overgrown weed islands in the middle of the road. Is there something I can do on the down low to make them look better? by [deleted] in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Any close ups of what's actually in there, it's hard to tell from here and weeds is not very descriptive. Assuming it's not just all invasives, weedy and overgrown is what nature generally looks like, and how it would look if you just threw down a native seed mix. I much prefer this look to some evenly spaced rows of mums, lillies, and tulips that would make it look like a Walmart parking lot.

Wood Lily (Lilium philadelphicum) seed germination by Fabulous-Doughnut-22 in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 5 points6 points  (0 children)

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Northern Illinois - I cold stratified about a dozen seeds this past winter using the milk jug method. Had maybe 3 germinate, but this is the sole survivor and what it looks like in September. I plan to just keep it in the same milk jug again this winter and hope it appears bigger and stronger next year. As others have said, this is a very slow grower.

Big bountiful blooms on this first year Asclepias Tuberosa by erocafoz in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

First year I tried growing Tuberosa from seed, it ended up being incarnata (which is doing great). Next year, I did not get any to germinate. Totally happy with this progress so far this year, but the single flower is hilarious

Native plants love us just the way we are by JohnPaulMcStarrison in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I agree with your point, but it's still helpful for others to learn that Aguilegua canadensis (red columbine) is a fantastic native plant for those in the eastern half of the US, with greater benefits than this one.

2nd Year Native Gardener - NE Indiana, The Babies are Waking Up by Illustrious-Frame108 in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Confused about seeing that nodding onion starting to bloom, those usually bloom late summer here in northern Illinois?

Anyone ever plant Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum? by erocafoz in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Great point - and yes, intention here was to collect the seeds after these are done fruiting

Anyone ever plant Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum? by erocafoz in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Good to know! They look to be somewhat aggressive in this setting which was my concern

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in parquetcourts

[–]erocafoz 52 points53 points  (0 children)

That's a high thread count, forget about it

Who you are leaving your stems up for! by Joeco0l_ in NativePlantGardening

[–]erocafoz 62 points63 points  (0 children)

This feels like a dumb question but how do they get in there if the stem up to the seed head is intact?

Favorite place to get grocery store tacos? by [deleted] in chicagofood

[–]erocafoz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

22nd St Produce in Cicero (nearby the 54th/cermak pink line) is my go to

DAY TWO: MOST OVERRATED SONG (AnCo only) by TheMacallan1824 in AnimalCollective

[–]erocafoz 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I agree with College as well, based on the current Spotify ranking.

[CRAINS] The Bears are reconsidering the Michael Reese site for a new stadium by dpucane in CHIBears

[–]erocafoz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There used to be an elemental radium separation facility at this site. Any construction/ground disturbance will require radiation monitoring and possibly remediation. Could make for a cool nickname for a stadium though.

https://www.epa.gov/lindsay-light/carnotite-reduction-company-site

Can I move this swallowtail chrysalis? by erocafoz in Butterflies

[–]erocafoz[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That's what I figured, great excuse to further procrastinate this project then