2005 Year in Review

Going Native

How I Helped the Environment and Made My Yard Beautiful.

Using native plants in your landscaping is an investment in the aesthetics of your property and the health of the environment. Historically Whiteside County’s landscape was a mix of native prairie grass, shrubs, wetland plants, and hardwood trees. Many of these plants have lovely shape (Green Ash), rich colors (Bottle Gentians), and long lives (White Oak Tree). Matching these plants to your wants and site’s growing conditions is not as difficult as you think. Many of the native plants do very well as they have grown here for several thousand years.

A key point to keep in mind about native plants is their need for full sun light. Most of the native plants do well on the south or west side of a house or building. The best thing to do before planting is check the growing requirements of the plant before planting. Trees have different growth requirements as compared to native grass and flowers; some of the native Oaks do better on the north or east side or hill. If you have any questions call our office or speak to the nursery where you purchased the plants.

Another characteristic to remember about native plants is their slow growth. Natives may not pop up as fast as exotic plants. I normally recommend that natives used in a landscape be larger transplants or plugs instead of seed. This type of planting stock is several years old and will give you results much faster than seeds alone. If you want to save money you could use a mix of seeds and transplants in your planting.

Where ever you buy your native plants make sure the business is experienced with native plants and trees and can give you good advice about planting. Do not let any one sell you a naturalized plant claiming that it is a native plant of Illinois. Examples of non native but naturalized plants include Purple Loosestrife, Honeysuckle, Buckthorn, Multiflora Rose, Crown Vetch, and Autumn Olive. All of these plants have grown wild in Illinois for a number of years but are very destructive to the native plant communities, do not plant them!

With the spike in energy prices planting natives in your landscape can reduce the amount of mowing you do as well as insulating your home from cold winds and hot sun (wind breaks and trees). Practicing what I preach, I have taken a 100’x100’ area of my yard and planted it to native grass and flowers. While the rest of my lawn is turning brown this area is a sea of bright yellow (Yellow cone and Compass Plant) and purple (Wild Bergamot). I have also planted American Plum, Walnut, Green Ash, and Bur Oak in the yard and on the fringe for wildlife and shading for the house.

Most of the nursery dealers in the county handle native plants and can advise you on proper planting procedures. The staff of the Soil and Water Conservation District can also assist you with plant selection as we have been dealing with native plants for over fifth teen years. Please call our office at 815 772 2124 ext 3 if you have any questions.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
October 3, 2005