milkweed

Native Plant Garden on a Budget: Five Affordable Sources

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Native plant garden bed in mid-summer with masses of purple coneflower black-eyed Susan and butterfly weed

Every spring, I find myself standing in front of a garden-center display, calculating prices in my head, glancing at my cart, and quietly deciding to leave empty-handed. A quart of Echinacea purpurea is going for $11. An annual plant that will wilt by Labor Day costs eight bucks. And remember that flat of plugs I … Read more

Cold Stratify Native Seeds: Tips for Successful Germination

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If you planted native seeds last year and watched almost nothing come up, you aren’t alone. And you probably weren’t doing anything wrong. The most common reason native seed packets disappoint isn’t bad soil, bad weather, or a bad gardener. It’s a biological step the packet almost never mentions. Notes from my own half-acre in … Read more