Last year in early June I took on a project to grow a few native plant seedlings for a prairie restoration effort with Spring Creek Forest Preserves and sponsers
http://friendsofspringcreek.org/
http://citizensforconservation.org/
http://www.chicago-botanic.org/
http://www.fpdccvolunteers.org/
http://www.springcreekstewards.org/
http://www.audubon.org/local/chicago/
Seed were collected by volunteers then a portion of that seed was given to the Chicago Botanic Garden for propagation in their greenhouses over the winter 2008/2009.When the seedlings had enough growth to be considered safe for planting outside in the garden and the weather had stabilized, the native seed gardener volunteers took over.
A list of the native seedlings had been sent to those volunteering to grow the seedlings in their garden and relevant information about the gardens gathered. Then the plants were collected by the volunteer gardeners, average about 4 or 5 plants each.
All those seedlings looked so pretty set out to be taken home by the gardeners.
Here are the seedlings I took home to grow for Spring Creek.
Northern Bedstraw/Galium boreale
Scurfy pea/Psoralea tenuiflorum
Canadian Hawkweed/Hieracium canadense
Michigan Lily/Lilium michiganense
The seedlings grew nicely through last summer into fall. The natives are now covered with snow and dormant until spring brings warmer temperatures and more sunlight hours per day. I grow anxious to find that the plants have returned to grow and produce seed that may then be gathered and sown in turn. Wish me luck!
http://www.nativeseedgardeners.org/About_Us_program_flow_chart.html
Hi ! Rest assured that your plants will be fine out in the cold and will resume their growth in Spring. I have grown native plants from seed here in Minneapolis for the past 7 years and have found that they will overwinter just fine in 2 inch pots just sitting out in the cold all winter. These are typically plants that i haven't sold or found a place for in my yeard yet. Just wanted to offer reassurance. These are tough plants ! Also, get some seeds and start germinating your own natives, if you haven't done that yet. It's easy ! Best wishes.
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ReplyDeleteI participated in Native Seed Gardeners last year too - so far the only thing that bloomed was the dandelion-looking hawkweed. I was happy to be able to send some seeds already the first year, and am looking forward to seeing more blooms this year. I had to move the plants into our veggie bed last fall, as we had all our walks and patio replaced last fall. The narrow bed where they were is gone now - filled in with sidewalk to improve a drainage problem. I hope they made it through the move so I can transplant them to a new spot in the spring.
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