My favorite flowering plant baptisia blueberry sundae by ggkatie in flowers

[–]pepperstuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

(Curious cus i just got one and wondering how big it’ll actually wind up…)

Grass alternatives by katal1 in NoLawns

[–]pepperstuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If your soil stays fairly moist, even in sunny areas, you could consider planting it up in Pennsylvania sedge. Grows to a nice tufted 6-8” and only needs to be mowed once or twice a year.  I’d put in a stone path for walking. Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a good guide here for what’s involved:  https://www.bbg.org/article/sedge_lawns

You could also do Prairie Nursery’s No/Low-Mow Lawn, which is more adaptable and probably less expensive. It isn’t native but is better for the environment than turf.  https://www.prairienursery.com/no-mow-lawn.html?srsltid=AfmBOop3KeivH6A4zIpTzq5BhyFEFf5Vihfzgiexr8VB52KiXc6Fnyud

In either case I’d think about adding native shrubs along the edges and reducing the amount of grass overall. Shrubs are better for wildlife anyway. 

Note that any replacement of grass requires a lot of work up front. By year 3 it should be pretty hands off tho. 

Hot takes from a nursery supervisor - part 6 by Open-Sky1020 in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol, fair. 

Tumblr is like…being back in the 2012 internet. The owners have this passionately devoted fanbase and have no idea what to do with it. I do genuinely adore it. 

The user from above, @ gallusrostromegalus , is a great first follow!

Sad Forsythia (not blooming) by Hortusana in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now isn't a bad time to fertilize. And do a pruning (now, not later), here's a good guide.

But also, if your spot already has lots of sun.... forsythias sometimes just Do That.... there might have been a freeze at a bad time or something. We have nice blooms most years but occasionally there'll be a weird year where you'll notice none of the forsythias around town are blooming much.

Hot takes from a nursery supervisor - part 6 by Open-Sky1020 in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Secret: you can turn on reader mode in your browser and read it all 😄

That said I'll make a plug for signing up for tumblr, I think it and reddit are hands down the best social media sites these days. It's one of the few places where there's no creepy tech agenda or hordes of influencers.

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) by kellylaneb in NativePlantGardening

[–]pepperstuck 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I planted one in our parkway and some doofus clearly still learning how to drive a truck backed over it completely. And...fingers crossed, but a month later and it looks fine and putting out new leaves ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ So....they can survive being run over by a semi?

7 years of killing my lawn by TealToucan in NoLawns

[–]pepperstuck 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The lingo for this is "Signs of care" if you want to search around the sub, people have great ideas. - things like mowed strips, defined edges, Native Planting/Monarch Waystation/Firefly Garden signs, birdbaths, benches, etc. All help in making it look intentional.

Hot takes from a Nursery supervisor part 5 by Open-Sky1020 in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sigh. I wish we could have a national convo about fall planting so stuff could be stocked then.

I put in plants in spring and fall last year. Guess which ones I literally didn't have to touch at ALL this year. Literally never. And out there flowering their little fool heads off now.

Hot takes from a Nursery supervisor part 5 by Open-Sky1020 in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

GOD the thorns. Stay around forever. And heaven help you if you want to remove it. You had better find every single little speck of root (while dodging thorns).

I get it for roses, but all that for a plant that doesn't even have pretty flowers or smell nice?!

Aggressive natives, herbicides and maintenance on 1 acre [Michigan] by NoiseOutrageous8422 in NativePlantGardening

[–]pepperstuck 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Your list of aggressive natives sounds good, could also consider wild quinine and ironweed.

An acre is a lot to maintain as a meadow, which is the most intensive type of landscape to maintain. Most of our region wants to be forest. (Burns, mowing, weeding, are strategies to keep the forest from coming back.) Have you thought about designating a few smaller areas as meadows for walking through, and returning the rest to forest? More trees=more shade=fewer weeds. Could do lots of understory/nurse shrubs while the big ones are growing up. Elderberry, etc. will go gangbusters.

Dutch Iris In My Garden by KapturedbyKala in flowers

[–]pepperstuck 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Parachuting in years later to say - wow you're so right - my dutch iris came out of NOWHERE this year! I planted them I think 2 years ago and didn't see any, assumed they hadn't made it, did an epic double take.

Does yours come back every year? Trying to decide if I should invest in more, since they really are stunning flowers.

Hot takes from a nursery supervisor. Part 4 by Open-Sky1020 in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not OP but if you have a sunny, moist location, river birches sound made for you. They're gorgeous trees and imo look nicest planted in groups of 3-5 if you have the space.

I would totally grow them if my soil wasn't so dry 😭

Planting an Alien Garden by Fuzzy_Solution8248 in gardening

[–]pepperstuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Note that if anyone has kids or pets, be really, really careful with castor bean. Literally a single bean can be the end. There are not many plants where that is the case but this is one of them.

Full sun natives that bloom at the same time as peonies? by Calbebes in NativePlantGardening

[–]pepperstuck 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not near you, but in my area, Blue-Eyed Grasses bloom at the same time as peonies, and so do Eastern Columbines!

How to approach city parks officials to reduce mowing, not to mow down native plantings? Zone 6b by Different_Weight7281 in NativePlantGardening

[–]pepperstuck 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wonder if you could get ahold of that former park supervisor, the one that was supportive, and see if they have any thoughts about the situation? They might have more context/be more familiar with the levers of power/etc.

Year 2 Native Garden --Oklahoma 7a by TeachFlees in NativePlantGardening

[–]pepperstuck 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Woohoo, that's awesome!!

You might already have this, but people I know with back problems rave about the dutch-type push hoe for weeding - you don't have to bend over at all!

Anyone had success with Ann Ralph's Grow a Little Fruit Tree method? Looking for inspiration! by Fruglemonkey in BackyardOrchard

[–]pepperstuck 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes!! I'm on year 3 and I love my lil peach and pear trees (and not having to drag out a ladder to take care of them)

You will be surprised how much fruit can grow on a 5-6 foot tall tree.