Accent on Natural Landscaping

Natural Landscaping

February 13, 2016

Do you have a passion for native plants and natural landscaping? Do you wish you knew more about native plants and biodiversity? If so, I invite you to join this blog and learn about native plants, natural landscaping and biodiversity a little at a time.

As Executive Director of Wild Ones for 17 years, one of the things I enjoyed the most was to share with members and others the new and interesting information I learned about things related to the Wild Ones mission. So now as I continue on with my next life adventure, [Read more…]

Garden Club of America Fellowship for Pollinators

October 19, 2018

Bumblebee on Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale). Photo by Robert Carlson

The Garden Club of America Board of Associates has announced their Centennial Pollinator Fellowship applications for the coming year are due January 15, 2019. This fellowship “provides funding to study the causes of pollinator decline, in particular bees, bats, butterflies and moths, which could lead to potential solutions for their conservation and sustainability.” (GCA)

Funding varies, but typically averages $4,000 for study and research, and is available annually upon reapplication.

Graduate students enrolled in US institutions and who are US citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply.

For more information and to apply, click here.

Onion Bags for Milkweed Pods

October 17, 2018

Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is one of the host plants for the Monarch butterfly.

Do you collect milkweed pods? There always is a big question about what to store them in. Since the pods are prone to molding, whatever you store them in needs to be breathable — something to allow maximum circulation. Monarch Watch suggests onion bags. What? Where does one get onion bags?

The pre-packaged onions at the grocery store typically come in a small mesh 3# size bag. They could easily be repurposed to serve as storage for milkweed pods.

Or, if you’re looking for larger sizes, you might ask the produce manager at the local grocery store or perhaps a restaurant manager to keep some for you. Their bulk supply of onions likely comes in 50# size bags. Beats putting the bags in the landfill!

Be sure to remove the label from the onion sack since that will block the air circulation.

Some of the net laundry bags might also work, if you can find some with a looser weave.

Monarch Watch

As you have read in my past years’ posts, Monarch Watch accepts donations of milkweed seed which they send to their contractor nurseries. The plugs grown from the seed are either sold to the general public or used toward their restoration efforts.

Monarch Watch currently has plenty of seed for the Midwest, but still needs Asclepias incarnata (Red or Swamp Milkweed) and Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed) seed for the eastern US. If you plan to donate seed, please see their seed donation guide.

Removing the Seed from the Pods

Monarch Watch prefers you send at least 2 ounces or more of milkweed seed, but they will also accept dry pods. Regardless if you send the seed to Monarch Watch or clean it for your own use, here’s a fairly easy way to separate the seed from the floss.

Thank you Candy Sarikonda for producing such a helpful video.

International Day of the Girl 2018

October 15, 2018

As I was reviewing my blog posts during the past few weeks, I realized I missed the International Day of the Girl for 2018. It was October 11th. I had been saving a special link just to share on this day, but I guess it’s appropriate for any day not just this special girl’s day.

If I had a daughter, I would like to think I would have shared this list with her.

A Playlist for My Daughter: 15 Songs to Empower Girls

By the way, this year’s theme for International Day of the Girl was With Her: A Skilled Girl Force. Regardless of the day, we women should “stand with girls everywhere as they inspire, innovate and take charge of their own future.”

“They are innovating technology to solve global challenges, they are standing up for the environment, they are raising their voices against violence and they are preparing to run for office.”

“…they persist, they succeed.”

Quotes above from International Day of the Girl.

But There’s Not a Lot of Nature Any More

October 12, 2018

Doug Tallamy says a Black-capped Chickadee (*Poecile atricapillus*) pair brings 390-570 caterpillars to their young per day for 16 days. Photo by Doug Tallamy.

Dr Doug Tallamy, Wild Ones Honorary Director and Entomologist with the University of Delaware, appeared before the State of Pennsylvania Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Tuesday, October 2, 2018. He had a lot to say about the major role homeowners and landowners need to play if we are to continue to persist on this Earth. Doug told the committee:

“We have a basic problem, not just here in Pennsylvania but everywhere. As we have expanded the human footprint, we’re destroying the natural world. We used to think that was OK because there was a lot of nature, but there’s not a lot of nature any more.”

Doug also pointed out the consequences of this destruction:

“How many species do we need to preserve? We need all of them because they produce the ecosystem services that support humans. We have already degraded the ability of the planet to support humans by 60 percent. That’s the same as taking planet Earth and shrinking it by 60 percent.”

You can listen to Doug live below:

Or you can read his presentation in the post edited by David Hess Senate Hearing: Non-Native, Invasive Plant Species Ecologically Castrating The Landscape, But There is a Solution.

Quotes above are from PA Environment Digest Blog

Thank you Donna Edwards for sharing this info through Wild Ones Native Plants.