This outstanding article related to #NativePlants has many useful points for preparing for the next growing season and improving the #environment in general. I'll pull out some main ideas in a threaded series this week.
First up: Insects are the primary conduits for energy to get from plants to animals. And lowly caterpillars turn out to be the most important.
Our job, gardeners, is to plant more caterpillar food!
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Per the article☝️, the population of American birds has declined by 30% since the 1970s. To help, you must support the bugs that the birds need to reproduce. But only 14% of #NativePlants generate 90% of the yummy caterpillars that drive food webs!
So are you planting these?
At the link provided, you can pull up a list of what *you* need to plant in your ecoregion. Scroll down and click on your list.
[Edit: Updated link, added hashtags]
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#HabitatGardening #Gardening #Environment #Conservation #Birds #Biodiversity #Science
https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Keystone-Plants-by-Ecoregion
When I pulled up the list ☝️for my ecoregion, I was very surprised.
The best things for me to plant/support are:
🦋 Two species of Oaks
🦋 Blueberries, Plums, Cherries
🦋 Certain Sunflowers and Asters
These could drastically improve #biodiversity in my garden and help build back bird populations!
I will be adjusting my plans for Spring planting accordingly. Please join me.
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#Gardening #Environment #Birds #Science #Nature #ScienceMastodon
More on #biodiversity and #birds: Even though butterflies and moths can be seen on any flower, their caterpillars specialize on *particular* plants. They need your help to get the #NativePlants that they consume.
🦋 See the site below for plants for your area (N.A. only for now).
🦋 One thing anyone can do is to make sure there are leaves under trees for Winter/Spring development of caterpillars.
⬆️ More caterpillars more birds! ⬆️
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Well, overwhelming interest in this thread! Thank you!
I'm planning for the 2024 garden, selecting #NativePlants that maximize #biodiversity. You might even have your own advice or questions. Great!
🦋 This is the new step 1: start with a list of *keystone plants* appropriate for my location.
🦋 It gives me two lists: plants and trees. Trees are easier. I should be able to plant the top 2 types of trees that support at least 488 species! 💪
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This website will help you find the best native plants specifically for your area that attract butterflies and moths and the birds that feed on their caterpillars, based on the scientific research of Dr. Douglas Tallamy.
Live tooting 2024 #garden planning
I found listed six "Keystone"⬆️ #NativePlants that I have never planted but which support hundreds of species more than what I do now! Wow! Haven't been this excited about planning in years.
🦋 Had to go to state extension service for details on habitat, but all seem to fit into my yard.
🦋 Good, because together, they provide blooms all season. (#Bloomscrolling followers have needs!)
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Continuing to plan my #NativePlant purchases…
Taking my list of Keystone plants, I have completed some research on availability.
🦋I normally do mass plantings, so I look for seeds as an economical choice, but they also give me ability to stagger my plantings.
🦋Mass plantings attract #pollinators better and provide more space for more caterpillars to drive food webs. More ⬆️
Who else is buying seeds now? Plan to get any natives?
Continuing the #NativePlant odyssey!
🌻 I now possess the ordered Keystone Plant seeds and have planted some of a goldenrod species.
🦋 These needed to be kept for *60 days* in wet cool treatment, which was a surprise to me because it was not mentioned in the general description on the nursery's web site. Clear instructions were provided by the nursery, though.
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#BiodiversityGardening #KeystonePlants #Biodiversity
#WildlifeGardening #Gardening
#WildlifeGarden
🙁 Phase 1 appears to have failed. I planted seeds in containers and none came up. Not sure of germination rate for these, so I will try again with more seed starting mix.
🏡 🌿 Also, I will plant directly into prepared ground. I have hundreds of seeds and will plant them in different ways and in different areas to see what works and to ensure as many as possible survive.
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#KeystonePlants #Biodiversity
#BiodiversityGardening #Biodiversity
#WildlifeGardening #Gardening
#WildlifeGarden
@joewynne This soil doesn't look like the darker homemade one I use for seed starts. There is too much pebbles & wood in it. I use a soil sifter as part of creating nutrients rich soil, strictly for seed starts.
Do you use composting worm bins?
@msquebanh
You are, of course, correct in your characterization of the current mix in the container.
There are several reasons why the germination was suboptimal. All can be fixed on second attempt. 💪 Eternal optimism!
I have composted virtually all biomass in my home for decades, but do not use worm bins.
@joewynne What seeds did you plant that failed? Were they cold stratified first?
I planted a bunch of seeds in winter - direct sowed and winter sowed. I had some success with direct sowing, but more success with winter sowing in containers. I haven't tried cold stratifying in the fridge yet, but I may soon
Yes, the Stiff Goldenrod were cold stratified and the first for me to mess with. My first attempt was not very precise for many reasons but now I have more time to get it right in containers.
@rspfau Exactly! Need to get the word out so people make right decisions.
My state-produced North Carolina native list did not prioritize by number of species supported. That makes a big difference to me now.
I was searching before for something like this and unable to find it. I could find lists of natives so I at least went with those...but now I can refocus my efforts! The tree is already in the ground, but the flowers to surround it will come from this list :-)
🐦 🦆 New report shows US bird populations continue to decline rapidly.
"The report, produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations, reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action."
#Wildlife #WildlifeConservation #Nature #Conservation #Birds
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-bird-populations-alarming-decline.html
The release of the 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report was announced today at the 90th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The report, produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations, reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action. The report comes five years after the landmark 2019 study that documented the loss of 3 billion birds in North America over 50 years.
very cool. have been replacing grass in the open areas and invaders like Va creeper, buckthorn, etc. in the wooded portion of my suburban acre for some 30 years. Most recent project was a "refresh" of the oldest prairie plot. I can't do a controlled burn, so fighting woody invaders is a constant annual battle. This year I rototilled about 5 inches, and used a stump grinder on stumps ranging from a couple inches to close to 20.. When all you (more)
#joinin
I have not updated this in quite while, and a lot of photo links are broken. But it gives an overview. www.TrilliumRidge.info
(continued) can do is cut them, the roots sprout next year, and get bigger..I planted the "big four" prairie grasses in zones
Little bluestem
Indian grass
Switchgrass
Big bluestem.
pic is after seeding and covering with straw. They need to be winterized to germinate in spring.
Many of the native flowering plants like Cat mint, Bee Balm, prairie dock, black eyed susan will come back, scattered amongst the grasses.
pic in reply hereto
@joewynne Thank you.
Unfortunately the document has been removed or moved.
This seems to be it:
https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Keystone-Plants-by-Ecoregion
@lymphomation Yeah, they updated the site.
Native Plant Finder
https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/
More Related Resources
https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Resources/Tips-Tools-and-Videos
I recommend the shade loving Heart-leaved Aster
Symphyotrichum cordifolium
https://www.prairiemoon.com/symphyotrichum-cordifolium-heart-leaved-aster
https://write.as/habitat-gardening/selecting-specific-natives-for-your-garden
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