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Growing native plants from seeds

Welcome to ChooseSustainable.org a blog about individual climate action.

When talking to people about native seeds, more often than not I hear stories of failures. The story usually goes like this: “I have a flower bed where I sprinkled seeds, but nothing came out”. I know this story very well because I have had the very same experience several times when I started my native garden. For example, the first time I decided to convert a section of lawn into tall prairie plants, I dug out a section of the lawn in fall (still didn’t know about no-dig techniques) and ordered some seeds that I proceeded to plant in November. Nothing came out, with few exceptions that will be discussed later. I then resorted to purchase small plants, however if you have a large area to cover, using only plants can get expensive.

In fall and winter your native plant seeds provide much sought-after food for birds

A few years ago I started growing from seeds again. I collect them from my own yard and have been much more successful. In this post I provide some information on how to maximize your chances of success. At the end of the post there is a list of easy and not-so-easy species based on my experience. I hope the following tips can be useful if you are starting your native garden or want to expand it. However if you are planning to convert a large section of land to prairie you need to sow directly in the soil. In that case you need to prepare the soil accordingly and it will take about 3 years for your prairie to bloom. We’ll discuss no-dig methods and weed suppression in a future post.

When to plant

One of the things I love about native gardening is that there is never a dead season. If we follow nature’s pattern, fall and winter are the seasons when we prepare for spring. In colder climates seeds go through the winter and germinate in spring when temperatures and sunlight become favorable to the survival of the plant. For this reason, several (not all) native plant seeds of the Midwest need to experience a transition from cold to warm to germinate. Sometime people refer to this process as “cold stratification”. One way to mimic the transition from cold to warm weather is to place the seeds in the refrigerator for a prescribed amount of time before planting. I have never been successful with this technique. For me it works better sowing in late fall or at the beginning of winter. It is important to wait until the outdoor temperature drops below 50 F (or about 10 C). Here in Illinois I start sowing in late October or November. One can even wait longer and plant in the middle of winter, however it is difficult to work outside once snow accumulates.

Compass plants release their seeds in late fall and winter. We may be tempted to remove spent flowers. It is best to leave them for birds and to allow self-seeding.
Liatris seeds have small feathers attached. The seeds are released during winter and the feathers allow the seeds to travel, helped by winds. This is a good plant to start from seeds, its germination rate is high and the plant develops quickly.
Milkweed seeds are released and transported by winds thanks to the attached cotton-like feathers. Seeds are released once the enclosing pod dries out and opens in late fall and early winter. Seeds are produces in great amounts, the plant germinates easy only if it finds the right conditions.
The seeds of wild senna are enclosed in a pod and drop on the soil once the pod opens in early winter. The seeds are then transported around for short distances by water and wildlife. Once established the plant propagates where it finds suitable conditions.
The beautiful pods of cream indigo release small round seeds in late fall. I am trying to propagate this plant for the first time this year.

Prepare what you need

The biggest mistake I used to make was to sow directly in the soil. The reason why germination in the soil is low in a garden setting is that seeds get displaced by water and animals, possibly dug out and eaten by birds, and have to compete with weeds. I was able to grow only 5 species in the soil: wild bergamot, wild senna (with some effort), New England aster, wild geranium, and heliantus grosseratus. When I transitioned to small pots my germination success went from ~0% to about 90%.

I suggest collecting as many small pots as you can from previous plant purchases. I keep small containers and reuse them year after year. The second thing one needs is soil. You don’t need to go crazy with very expensive potting soil, one good quality medium potting soil will do. Finally, no matter how prodigious your memory is, I guarantee that you will forget what is in the pots (it happens to me every year), so labels are essential. You can be creative and make your own planting labels or buy them. Use a lasting marker because the ink fades quickly outdoor.

Reusing empty pots reduces waste and saves you money

Sow the seeds

You are now ready to sow the seeds. Wait for a nice cool day in late fall, fill up 3/4 of the pots with soil, sprinkle a few seeds and cover them lightly with soil. Some seeds may need specific precautions, for example they may need sunlight and should be sprinkled on the surface of the soil. It is important to check specific requirements for the plant. Place the labels in the pots as you go, before forgetting.

Place a label in the pot to recognize the plant in spring

When you are done, locate a suitable location for the pots. I place them near the house in an area that gets afternoon sunshine and is also easily reachable with the hose. You’ll need water in spring when the seeds sprout. I avoid locations that are too shaded as it may cause mold in the soil. When the pots are in the desired location cover them with a burlap cloth or an old cotton bed sheet. The cover helps preserve the seeds by discouraging squirrels and birds from digging and it also prevents the growth of weeds.

You are now ready to wait for spring

The seeds are ready for winter. They will be covered with snow very soon.

Early spring

Left outside, under the burlap, your seeds will be covered with snow most of the time and will experience the cold winter. Wait until the winter snow melts and days become longer to check on the pots. On sunny days, you can remove the burlap for a few hours during the morning, but it is better to keep the seeds covered until you see germination. Even then, it is better to leave the sprouts covered at night and to check the weather because there is always the risk of late season icing through the month of April and sometime even May. During this phase it is better to keep the soil moist by watering as needed with a gentle sprinkle.

In early spring, check the weather and cover the sprouts if there is snow, hale, or nighttime frost in the forecast. Keep the soil moist with a gentle watering when needed.

By mid May the cover can be entirely removed. Keep the soil moist while you wait to plant.

Planting time

I have transplanted the small plants as early as mid-June. However my suggestion is to wait until the plants are grown enough that you don’t risk breaking them while transplanting. After the plants are in the soil, you need to keep the soil moist by gently watering at least twice a week for a month or so (if it doesn’t rain) and possibly remove excess weeds around. Depending on the species it takes about 2 or 3 years from seeds to flowers.

Easy and not-so-easy seeds (my experience)

Below is a list of seeds I tried. I will add to this list as I try (or retry) more varieties.

  • Monarda fistulosa (Wild bergamot): Easy, high germination rate, grows fast
  • Senna hebecarpa (Wild senna): Medium, initial germination rate is low, the population grows once established.
  • Heliantus grosseserratus (Sawtooth sunflower): Easy, self seeds, quick growth
  • Lobelia siphilitica (Blue lobelia): Easy, but it may have mixed success after transplant
  • Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower): Medium, I have had mixed success getting this established
  • Silene regia (Royal catchfly): Easy in pots but needs right location for transplant-slow to grow
  • Liatris spicata (Blazing star): Easy, high germination in pots-develops quickly
  • Penstemon grandiflorus (Showy penstemon): Easy, high germination rate-develops quickly, tolerant of various conditions.
  • Asclepias syriaca (Common milkweed): Medium, I have had mixed success in the soil and pots-Better to plant the small sprouts in an are with no competition.
  • Geranium maculatum (wild geranium): Easy, I have had enough success in the soil. High germination rate, fast growing, spreads once established. Good starter.
  • Aster Novae Angliae (New England aster): Easy, I was able to start this in the soil. High germination rate, fast growing, spreads once established
  • Antennaria neglecta (pussytoe): Difficult, I have had zero success so far but will try again
  • Monarda punctata (spotted bee balm): Difficult, I am trying this again this year, last year I was able to germinate it, but none survived the transplant.

Growing native plants from seeds is a very rewarding experience. I hope this information is useful if you are starting your native garden, and remember that trials and errors are the key to discover which plants grow and do well in your garden. If you would like seeds, send me an email at info@choosesustainable.org and I’ll be happy to provide what I can.

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This Halloween choose sustainable

Welcome to ChooseSustainable.org a blog about individual climate action. It’s almost Halloween and you have probably added to your grocery list a bag of candies to distribute to kids in a few weeks.

It takes a small effort to celebrate an Earth friendly Halloween by avoiding candies that contain palm oil. Just look at the list of ingredients and select candies that don’t contribute to deforestation. Is that simple!

Don’t be fooled by sustainable palm oil labels, there is no such a thing as sustainable palm oil. Read here from the World Wildlife Fund about the link between big money and deforestation. Here you can find the palm oil buyers scorecard and here you can search the score of industries that make Halloween candies such as Mondelez International. Even the best scoring companies such as Ferrero can’t entirely account for the provenance of their palm oil.

Industrial deforestation, driven by palm oil demand, is one of largest contributor to climate change and the largest driver of loss of biodiversity and mass extinction on the planet. Don’t finance the suffering of countless species with your money, this Halloween go palm oil free.

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Gentiana Andrewsii (Bottle gentian)

Welcome to ChooseSustainable.org a blog about individual climate action. In this series of short posts I present a native plant to encourage everybody to abandon our traditional way of gardening (basically a continuous fight against nature) and engage in sustainable gardening practices that nurture the ecosystem, sustain wildlife and foster biodiversity. I show the plants in a garden setting to dispel the myths depicting them as weedy and unsuitable for gardens.

In this post I talk about a fall blooming plant of unusual appearance: Gentiana Andrewsii (bottle gentian). The population of this plant is declining due to loss of habitat and the species has recently become of concern is several states.

Bottle gentian at the end of September

Quick facts:

  • Zones:3-6
  • Bloom time: Fall (Sept-Oct)
  • Sun: Sun
  • Soil Moisture: Medium wet to medium
  • Aggressive: No
  • Front yard: YES
  • Height: 2 feet
  • Status: Declining and classified as threatened or species of concern in several states
  • Maintenance: LOW
  • Wildlife value: Medium

Wildlife connection: The flowers of the plant attract mostly bumble bees who are the only ones able to access the closed flowers. Although its wildlife value is limited, the plant provides a beautiful fall bloom and supports bumblebees late in the season, when other plants are not available.

I bought this plant by chance at a Forest Preserve sale. While I was waiting in line, I started talking to a nice lady next to me and she mentioned bottle gentian. She was very passionate about it and when we went in, she placed 3 small plugs in my cart recommending me to plant them. At home I was converting a patch of lawn into a mulched bed. The area used to be flooded with standing water for days after each rain and I was looking for water-loving native plants. I planted the small gentians there, they were a little slow to establish, but they have been there since, filling up year after year.

The plant grows 2-3 feet making it an excellent choice for the front yard. It is in full bloom in late September, and the flowers last about one month, extending the life of your garden’s bloom until October. The unusual flowers of a deep blue and dark violet color, with shades of yellow and pink are a sure attraction.

The attractive and unusual shape of blue gentian.

The plant is a magnet for bumblebees. They are the only ones strong enough to open the flowers and dive in, re-emerging with nectar and pollen.

A bumblebee tries to open a flower looking for nectar and pollen

Success!

I hope you will consider Gentiana Andrewsii for your garden. Every native plant you add brings back a piece of ecosystem that is vital to biodiversity.

Would you like to talk about a native plant in your backyard? Please send me your post at info@choosesustainable.org

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Actions and News: Tell Congress to pass the Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act

Welcome to YouChoose, a blog about individual climate action.

Monarch butterflies (eastern and western) are in sharp decline. Read here from the Xerces Society the conservation actions needed and the challenges faced to save the Eastern and Western populations.

You can be part of the effort: Support organic agriculture, start your own native pollinator garden, avoid pesticides and other chemicals in your yard.

Tell Congress to support the MONARCH ACT to help recovery of the Western Monarch Butterfly. Please sign the National Wildlife Federation petition below:

National Wildlife Federation petition page

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Black chickpeas spread

Reduce meat consumption by switching to a diverse, plant-based diet. This delicious recipe is based on chickpeas, a legume full of nutrients and a non-destructive crop that is actually good for the Earth. This recipe is very similar to hummus, but it doesn’t use tahini.

Sustainability tips:

Chickpeas are a sustainable crop that requires little water, is low in calories and generally healthy. Black chickpeas are not always available in grocery stores, but they can be found in ethnic stores such as Indian grocery stores. The variety used here is more of a brown color. Regular chick peas can also be used for this recipe, however I recommend the black variety if available.

Remember that supporting organic and sustainable produce goes a long way to reduce harmful pesticide use. I also suggest to avoid produce in plastic bags and to bring your own reusable bags to help reduce the amount of plastic dispersed in the environment. I can send you free cotton grocery and produce bags entirely upcycled from old fabric. Just contact me if you need any.

Useful things to have ready

Rinse and soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain them and cook them in the pressure cooker until soft. In my pressure cooker it takes about 12 minutes.

These are the black chickpeas after they have been soaked and cooked

Preparation time: about 20 minutes

Ingredients (3-4 people)

Ingredients can be adjusted based on personal preferences. With the suggested proportions one gets a flavorful spread, but not too strong in garlic or pepper. One can also adjust the amount of oil to suit personal preferences.

  • 3-4 fistful of black chickpeas
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder
  • Red chili (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoon of water
  • Salt

Procedure

  • Rinse the soaked black chickpeas, drain them and cook them in the pressure cooker until soft.
  • While the chickpeas are cooking, place a tablespoon of oil in a pan and roast the red pepper
  • Roast the garlic
Roast red pepper and garlic until soft
  • Place the cooked chickpeas in a food processor, a blender, or in a pot where you can blend them by hand
Blend all ingredients together
  • Add the roasted pepper and garlic
  • Add cumin powder, red chili, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and enough water to blend (2-3 tablespoon of water).
  • Blend until well smooth
Blend until the spread is smooth and creamy

You can eat this spread as appetizer or a snack, on crackers or bread, or with vegetables.

Ready!

Enjoy!

Did you like this recipe? Share it and spread the word.

Help reduce meat consumption! If you have a vegetarian recipe you would like to share please email me at info@choosesustainable.org and I’ll post it on this blog.

Still undecided? Read here about the destructive impact of the meat industry on forests.

Sprouted lentils with coconut

Reduce meat consumption by switching to a diverse, plant-based diet. This delicious recipe is based on lentils, a legume full of nutrients and a non-destructive crop that is actually good for the earth.

Sustainability tips:

Lentils are a sustainable food, low in calories and rich in fibers and vitamins. Read about the properties of lentils from WebMD.

Remember that supporting organic and sustainable produce goes a long way to reduce harmful pesticide use. I also suggest to avoid produce in plastic bags and to bring your own reusable bags to help reduce the amount of plastic dispersed in the environment. I can send you free cotton grocery and produce bags entirely upcycled from old fabric. Just contact me if you need any.

Useful things to have ready

Rinse and soak the lentils overnight. Drain the lentils and let them stay in a container, covered for about 2 days, rinsing and draining them at least once a day. On the second day the lentils will be sprouted.

I suggest to steam the sprouted lentils in the microwave or boil them for 5-10 minutes in lightly salted water. This will make them softer.

Soak lentils overnight or for ~ 7 hours

Preparation time: about 15 minutes plus 3 days to sprout the lentils

Ingredients (3-4 people)

  • Sprouted lentils (about one fistful of dry lentils per person)
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon of unsweetened shredded dry coconut (optional)
  • Crushed red chili (optional)
  • 2-3 tablespoons of oil
  • Salt

Procedure

  • Rinse the soaked lentils, drain them and keep them in a pot with closed lid.
  • Check the lentils daily, making sure they don’t become too dry, you can rinse them and drain them once a day.
  • The lentils should sprout in about 2 days.
These are the sprouted lentils after about 2 days
  • Option 1: Place sprouted lentils in a pot, cover them with water, add a little salt and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. This will soften them.
  • Option 2: Steam sprouted lentils in the microwave for 6-7 minutes.
  • Heat up the oil and add chopped onions.
  • Sautee onions until gold add turmeric and red chili (optional)
Sautee onions and turmeric
  • If desired you can add the coconut powder at this point and sautee for 2 minutes.
Optional step: Add coconut powder

Add steamed (or boiled) lentils and sautee for 5 minutes.

Ready!

Enjoy!

Help reduce meat consumption! If you have a vegetarian recipe you would like to share please email me at info@choosesustainable.org and I’ll post it on this blog.

Still undecided? Read here about the destructive impact of the meat industry on forests.

The YouChoose App contains links and information about sustainable food choices with a searchable database of common food items.

Eyes on the Earth: The data that support climate models

Welcome to YouChoose, a blog about individual climate action.

With all the confusing information we read every day from the most diverse sources we may wonder how do we know that human activities are causing changes in the climate. I am posting here a link to the European Space Agency (ESA) web site that nicely summarizes decades of satellite observations of the so-called essential climate variables that are the indicators of change in the planet’s ecosystems.

What do satellite data tell us? See here in the ESA web page “Climate Change: The evidence from Space” how satellites monitor our Earth and provide long term continuous record of the changes happening over time. One important piece of information tells us that data from space are in agreement with climate projections from the warming scenarios provided by the IPCC, giving us some confidence that projected warming effects are realistic.

This is worrisome because the latest IPCC AR6 Synthesis report released in March 2023 provides a glimpse in possible future scenarios caused by a global temperature increase.

What can we do as individuals?

The IPCC report lists stopping deforestation, reforestation, and reconversion of degraded ecosystem among the most impactful mitigation strategies. Agriculture and livestock farming are major contributor to greenhouse gases and loss of biodiversity; reduce meat consumption and avoid using products that cause deforestation such as meat, palm oil, unsustainable sourced cocoa, and tropical woods. Urge your governments to take action against deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

Share this post with your friends and take action against deforestation and the destruction of the Earth ecosystems!

Actions and News: May 22 was international day of biodiversity

Welcome to YouChoose, a blog about individual climate action.

May 22 was international day of biodiversity.

Read the World Economic Forum Report on the global state of biodiversity and how loss of species can be reversed.

Deforestation is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, for this reason the European Union last month introduced a ban on products from recently deforested areas. I doubt this ban will be easily enforceable. The US is taking steps to halt deforestation, restore habitats, and restore the great biodiversity of the North American ecosystem. Read from the WWF which actions have been pledged by the current administration. Will we go from words to deeds? We need to make our voice heard wherever we are and urge our governments to act. If you are in the USA please go to The Nature Conservancy petition page and tell congress to pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

What else can we do as individuals?

Keep the pressure on! Think about how much forests and biodiversity mean to you and do your part to end deforestation by boycotting products that are the main drivers of destruction: cattle and livestock industry (which also drives conversion of forests to soy plantations), palm oil, cocoa, timber from old growth forests and endangered trees. The loss of even one species can not be undone. Do your part, stay informed, look for the provenance of what you buy and avoid products from high risk companies and locations.

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Actions and News: Tell the Biden administration to support an end to plastic

Welcome to YouChoose, a blog about individual climate action.

The second session of the UN meeting on plastic pollution is scheduled for the end of May 2023. The first session took place in December 2022. The goal is to reach a binding agreement between nations to stop plastic pollution on land and oceans.

If you are not convinced of the urgency of the problem, please read more on the WWF plastic initiative and learn how our oceans are flooded with tons of plastic every hour.

Make your voice heard, ask the Biden administration to support strong measures to end plastic pollution by signing the GREENPEACE PETITION

Please share the link.

Asclepias Syriaca (common milkweed)

Welcome to ChooseSustainable.org a blog about individual climate action. In this series of short posts I present a native plant to encourage everybody to abandon our traditional way of gardening (basically a continuous fight against nature) and engage in sustainable gardening practices that nurture the ecosystem, sustain wildlife and foster biodiversity. I show the plants in a garden setting to dispel the myths depicting them as weedy and unsuitable for gardens.

In this post I’ll talk about one of the most important plants for us living in the Midwest of the USA: Asclepias Syriaca (common milkweed). There are many native varieties of Asclepias, some of which are listed as threatened or endangered in various states. I start here with one of the varieties that used to be the most common. This variety has been steadily declining due to agricultural practices and suburban development.

A garden patch of Asclepias syriaca offers great bloom in spring

Quick facts:

  • Zones:3-8
  • Bloom time: Summer (June-July)
  • Sun: Sun to part sun
  • Soil Moisture: Medium wet to dry
  • Aggressive: No
  • Front yard: YES
  • Height: 3-5 feet
  • Status: Declining
  • Maintenance: LOW
  • Wildlife value: Very High

Wildlife connection: The flowers of the plant attract many insects, including butterflies, moths, bees and bumblebees. The foliage is the only source of food for the caterpillars of the monarch butterfly and the tussock tiger moth, and is a preferred source for other varieties of moths.

In spite of its name containing the unflattering ‘weed’ designation, Asclepias Syriaca is a marvelous plant with a showy bloom and a scent reminiscent of lilacs. It has an undeserved reputation for being weedy and aggressive. In truth I have had the opposite experience, as I struggle to maintain the population. It seems to me that this plant doesn’t like competition and, after having nearly lost the entire population, I resorted to making an area just for them, hoping that they will be able to increase in number.

The plant takes about 3 years to fully develop from seed. If purchased as a young plug it usually blooms in the second year. The foliage is very attractive through the summer, and it becomes yellowish and sometime brown in late summer and early fall. Through the summer you will notice a lot of activity on the leaves and flowers.

A milkweed plant emerging in spring. Often butterflies select young plants to lay eggs.

The bloom starts in late June and lasts several weeks. During this time many visitors approach the plant. The importance of the plant, however, goes beyond its bloom as the leaves are highly prized by many insects. For this reason we should never spray milkweed with any kind of insecticide or pesticide. Doing so will cause extensive damage on many levels of the food chain and will kill caterpillars feeding on the plants.

Amazing butterflies visit the flowers
A moth feeds on the milkweed

On this topic I would like to talk about another caterpillar that feeds on milkweed: the Tussock Tiger moth caterpillar. In late summer you may find such visitors on the plants. These caterpillars are voracious and they will eat an entire plant from top to bottom. For this reason you may be tempted to eliminate them. The Tussock Tiger moth caterpillar is also a native species that relies on milkweed and has the right to feed on it. We should not destroy other species for the sake of the monarch butterflies. In 15 years I have had one instance where tiger moth caterpillars consumed a large number of plants. Having a large population of milkweed is the best way to ensure that everybody can make use of it.

The caterpillar of monarch butterfly feeds exclusively on milkweed
Tussock tiger moth caterpillars feed destructively on milkweed, they are however entitled to do so

Besides providing beauty and value for your yard from spring to fall, Asclepias syriaca will enrich your winter garden with large seed pods that release seeds. I collect seeds but also leave some for dispersal through wind.

Seeds are released during fall and winter and can also be collected in late fall

Choosing the right source for your milkweed plants is a very important first step. I do see milkweed in nurseries (usually not the asclepias syriaca) sold as already blooming plants. Usually milkweed doesn’t take transplant well and establishing an already developed plant can be very difficult. Additionally, according to The Xerces Society, pesticides are found in milkweed sold in nurseries, read HERE the report. It is better to purchase young plants at local forest preserve sales, conservation societies, or from specialized nurseries that openly declare their policy on pesticides and neonicotinoids.

I hope you will consider Asclepias syriaca for your garden, Every native plant you add brings back a piece of ecosystem that is vital to biodiversity.

Would you like to talk about a native plant in your backyard? Please send me your post at info@choosesustainable.org

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