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. . . Gardens off Drugs . . . |
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All Creatures have the Right to Live - Nature knows Best |
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2. What are native plants?
One option for creating a chemical-free garden that has the added advantage of creating a healthier and more natural local
environment is to go native. Native North American plants are defined as those that have lived on this continent prior to the arrival of European settlers.
These indigenous species have evolved over time to live in harmony with other species (so called pests) and with the climate.
Most are resistant to the "pests"(insects,fungi,etc) that attack plants which have been introduced to this area from other
parts of the world. Many are resistant to drought, and breeze quite happily through a dry summer. For these reasons, native
plants require no artificial pesticides or fertilizers and are ideally suited for the organic garden. Many resources are available to aid in finding which plants are native to your area. Lorraine Johnson has authored several
books on native plant gardening. She lists plants by geographical area, and by habitat, and the wonderful photography will
tempt you to try them all. The North American Native Plant Society (www.nanps.org) is another excellent resource. Their yearly
spring sale of native plants is a great place to purchase locally grown plants. Before deciding which plants to try, you must first establish the habitats in your garden, that is, the amount of sun,
shade and moisture available. Native plant habitats are broadly classified as woodland, prairie, wetland or meadow. Woodland
plants, which thrive in shade, are the first harbingers of spring, and can be among the most lovely and delicate of all. Spring
beauty, bloodroot, trout lily, Virginia bluebells, and hepatica fill the heart with hope as they poke through the detritus
of winter. Wild ginger is a very easy to grow staple of the woodland garden. Its foliage is said to resemble that of hostas,
and as it spreads quickly, it is a useful groundcover. Later spring sees the emergence of Solomon's seal, wild geranium, bleeding
heart, and Jacob's ladder. Wild columbine will grow in sun as well as shade; it self seeds prolifically and lasts for weeks
and weeks, through to early summer.
Prairie and meadow plants thrive in the sun and so are usually summer bloomers. These plants often have spectacularly bright
flowers-the orange of butterfly weed, the red of bee balm, the yellow of black-eyed Susans, the purple of New York ironweed.
As fall approaches, asters and goldenrods take over. There are also many wild grasses that add interest to a native plant
garden. Most of these have lovely seed-heads that provide "winter interest". Native shrubs are an excellent addition to a native garden large enough to accommodate them. Many of these shrubs flower
and produce berries, which can be edible for humans and/or birds and other wildlife. Downy serviceberry, nannyberry, snowberry,
and highbush blueberry are but a few of the many options available.
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12. I don't like Cinch Bugs. What can I do? Hairy Chinch Bug
Description: The adults measure 3.5 to 4 mm in length, they are black with transparent wings that are crossed over the back.
The nymphal stage (around 1 mm long) is the most voracious. They are reddish with two white or yellow lines on their backs.
They are found in every lawn, but cause damage only when they occur in great numbers. This happens when a lawn has been weakened
by a drought or other stressful situation. To know if you have an infestation of Chinch Bugs, try the following: at the border
of the affected zones, near the healthy lawn, push the grass aside with your fingers. Scratch a bit at the thatch with a sharp
tool if required. You will immediately see many small insects, which are black or red, some with lines or white wings. You
can also use a coffee can as a monitoring tool. Remove the top and bottom to produce an empty cylinder. Then push the edge
of the coffee can into the soil, and fill it up with water. After a few minutes, the drowned Chinch Bugs will be floating
to the top for easy counting. Another test for insect damage is by pulling on the dead grass blades. Damage done by Chinch
Bugs and White Grubs causes the grass blades to easily separate from the ground. In contrast, dead grass that holds firm to
the soil is an indication of damage caused by fungus or another agent.
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