

In today's episode, The DIY Prairie Garden, we go over a short breakdown of what a prairie is, some unique medicinal and edible qualities of native prairie plants, how to site prep, and what plants and grasses to use in your very own meadowscape.
Host Stephanie Barelman
Stephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/
Find us on Facebook
Visit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fm
Give us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraska
Support My Work via Patreon
The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.
Go back and catch up on old episodes
-PLEASE PLEASE listen to Episode 1 if you haven't already which gives you a primer on what native plants even are, link here
-Episode 2 is also helpful link here
Understand that a prairie is an ecosystem, one that we've killed off
Like the idea of a wildflower meadow? We do too. And Nebraska was naturally a wildflower meadow before the Waltons, Big Ag, and developers had their way. Something like 99% of the original prairie is gone. Very sad deal, and a compelling reason to ditch your lawn for native plants.
Not all prairies are created equal
Different ecoregions, different plants. See here
In short, you have: tall grass prairie, shortgrass prairie, mixed grass prairie depending on geography and subdivisions of mesic prairie, dry prairie, and wet prairie depending on elevation and nearby proximity to water.
Also, prairie ecosystems extend into Colorado, Minnesota, south towards Texas, or even further east into Indiana. There's plants that have residency in different parts of this range and what's wonderful is we can have uniquely beautiful and beneficial Nebraska gardens and what that looks like in Scottsbluff, Lincoln, and Omaha can have slight differences between them.
Our focus: Tallgrass Prairie
I am obviously bias, hailing from the Omaha area. But you can find links to shortgrass and mixed grass ideas here:
Some of the inspiration for today's chat on tallgrass prairie:
here, here(scroll down to shortgrass prairie section,) and here. For this last one, scroll down to a tab menu and select components to see plant species.
Mixed Grass:
Why should we even bother planting a naturalistic landscape?
-Edible flowers- violets, elderberry, yucca
-Edible fruit: American plum, fragrant and smooth sumac
-Plants that make great teas, so you can truly spill the tea: wild bergamot, lead plant, echinacea
There are hundreds of plants with edible parts native to the midwest. Just always double check if any of the plant parts are poisonous or if the flowers or fruit need to be COOKED before it’s consumed
PRETTY COOL, HUH? Check out these two books here and here for more ideas on native plant usefulness.
How does one site prep exactly? What does that even mean?
https://www.prairiemoon.com/blog/site-prep= pro tips
In short, remove with sod cutter, spade and plant in with an optional one time application of shredded mulch around plants OR kill off a larger area with short lived herbicide and plant directly in OR close mow area and then solarize/ smother with plastic or cardboard for a few series of weeks (think 5 smother, 1 uncover; 5 smother, 1 uncover; five smother, 1 uncover, plant)
Strategic Mowing
Yes, after you have planted the garden. You can mow to mimic fire to control weeds and prevent saplings from taking over your prairiescape.
Please follow some professional directions and don't deviate. If you mow at the wrong time, it could really mess with the plants.
PLANTS FOR A DRY, FULL SUN TALLGRASS PRAIRIE GARDEN
WORK IN SIDE OATS GRAMA, BLUE GRAMA, PURPLE LOVEGRASS, CANADA WILD RYE, PRAIRIE DROPSEED, LITTLE BLUESTEM,
-SEDGES: CAREX BREVIOR, FOX SEDGE
PRAIRIE INSECT PUBLICATIONS
Heather Holm- https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com
PRAIRIE PLANT PUBLICATIONS
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
GARDENING WITH PRAIRIE PLANTS https://plantnebraska.org/file_download/inline/87b1360a-d3d6-43ba-be27-7adc8f1d50ec
WHY WE LOVE PRAIRIE https://plantnebraska.org/file_download/inline/d4298e4c-cb9e-45db-b64f-c400b4668b85
Prairie Legacy
https://prairielegacyinc.com/planning-your-prairie/#planning-your-prairie
Where to source plants and seed
Local Plant Suppliers
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum- Spring Affair event in Lincoln
Midwest Natives Nursery- Lincoln
Great Plains Nursery
Prairie Legacy Nursery
Online Plant Suppliers
Prairie Moon Nursery
Prairie Nursery
What makes a plant native?
http://bonap.net/fieldmaps Biota of North America North American Plant Atlas database-select Nebraska
https://bellevuenativeplants.org Bellevue Native Plant Society
native (wild type) vs. nativar/native cultivar (cultivated by humans for desirable characteristics)
On the Web
BONAP aforementioned
BNPS aforementioned
http://www.facebook.com/groups/bellevuenativeplantsociety- BNPS on Facebook
Books & Authors
Rick Darke- The Living Landscape
Douglas Tallamy- Professor and Chair of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Entomology at the University of Delaware, author of The Living Landscape, Nature's Best Hope, naturalist, and curator of "Homegrown National Park".
Enrique Salmon- Iwigara
Daniel Moerman -Native American Ethnobotany
Heather Holm- https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com
Native Plants of the Midwest
Planting in a Post-Wild World
Jon Farrar's Field Guide to Wildflowers of Nebraska
Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/
Find us on Facebook
Visit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fm
Give us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraska
Support My Work via Patreon
The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.
30 epizódok
In today's episode, The DIY Prairie Garden, we go over a short breakdown of what a prairie is, some unique medicinal and edible qualities of native prairie plants, how to site prep, and what plants and grasses to use in your very own meadowscape.
Host Stephanie Barelman
Stephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/
Find us on Facebook
Visit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fm
Give us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraska
Support My Work via Patreon
The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.
Go back and catch up on old episodes
-PLEASE PLEASE listen to Episode 1 if you haven't already which gives you a primer on what native plants even are, link here
-Episode 2 is also helpful link here
Understand that a prairie is an ecosystem, one that we've killed off
Like the idea of a wildflower meadow? We do too. And Nebraska was naturally a wildflower meadow before the Waltons, Big Ag, and developers had their way. Something like 99% of the original prairie is gone. Very sad deal, and a compelling reason to ditch your lawn for native plants.
Not all prairies are created equal
Different ecoregions, different plants. See here
In short, you have: tall grass prairie, shortgrass prairie, mixed grass prairie depending on geography and subdivisions of mesic prairie, dry prairie, and wet prairie depending on elevation and nearby proximity to water.
Also, prairie ecosystems extend into Colorado, Minnesota, south towards Texas, or even further east into Indiana. There's plants that have residency in different parts of this range and what's wonderful is we can have uniquely beautiful and beneficial Nebraska gardens and what that looks like in Scottsbluff, Lincoln, and Omaha can have slight differences between them.
Our focus: Tallgrass Prairie
I am obviously bias, hailing from the Omaha area. But you can find links to shortgrass and mixed grass ideas here:
Some of the inspiration for today's chat on tallgrass prairie:
here, here(scroll down to shortgrass prairie section,) and here. For this last one, scroll down to a tab menu and select components to see plant species.
Mixed Grass:
Why should we even bother planting a naturalistic landscape?
-Edible flowers- violets, elderberry, yucca
-Edible fruit: American plum, fragrant and smooth sumac
-Plants that make great teas, so you can truly spill the tea: wild bergamot, lead plant, echinacea
There are hundreds of plants with edible parts native to the midwest. Just always double check if any of the plant parts are poisonous or if the flowers or fruit need to be COOKED before it’s consumed
PRETTY COOL, HUH? Check out these two books here and here for more ideas on native plant usefulness.
How does one site prep exactly? What does that even mean?
https://www.prairiemoon.com/blog/site-prep= pro tips
In short, remove with sod cutter, spade and plant in with an optional one time application of shredded mulch around plants OR kill off a larger area with short lived herbicide and plant directly in OR close mow area and then solarize/ smother with plastic or cardboard for a few series of weeks (think 5 smother, 1 uncover; 5 smother, 1 uncover; five smother, 1 uncover, plant)
Strategic Mowing
Yes, after you have planted the garden. You can mow to mimic fire to control weeds and prevent saplings from taking over your prairiescape.
Please follow some professional directions and don't deviate. If you mow at the wrong time, it could really mess with the plants.
PLANTS FOR A DRY, FULL SUN TALLGRASS PRAIRIE GARDEN
WORK IN SIDE OATS GRAMA, BLUE GRAMA, PURPLE LOVEGRASS, CANADA WILD RYE, PRAIRIE DROPSEED, LITTLE BLUESTEM,
-SEDGES: CAREX BREVIOR, FOX SEDGE
PRAIRIE INSECT PUBLICATIONS
Heather Holm- https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com
PRAIRIE PLANT PUBLICATIONS
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
GARDENING WITH PRAIRIE PLANTS https://plantnebraska.org/file_download/inline/87b1360a-d3d6-43ba-be27-7adc8f1d50ec
WHY WE LOVE PRAIRIE https://plantnebraska.org/file_download/inline/d4298e4c-cb9e-45db-b64f-c400b4668b85
Prairie Legacy
https://prairielegacyinc.com/planning-your-prairie/#planning-your-prairie
Where to source plants and seed
Local Plant Suppliers
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum- Spring Affair event in Lincoln
Midwest Natives Nursery- Lincoln
Great Plains Nursery
Prairie Legacy Nursery
Online Plant Suppliers
Prairie Moon Nursery
Prairie Nursery
What makes a plant native?
http://bonap.net/fieldmaps Biota of North America North American Plant Atlas database-select Nebraska
https://bellevuenativeplants.org Bellevue Native Plant Society
native (wild type) vs. nativar/native cultivar (cultivated by humans for desirable characteristics)
On the Web
BONAP aforementioned
BNPS aforementioned
http://www.facebook.com/groups/bellevuenativeplantsociety- BNPS on Facebook
Books & Authors
Rick Darke- The Living Landscape
Douglas Tallamy- Professor and Chair of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Entomology at the University of Delaware, author of The Living Landscape, Nature's Best Hope, naturalist, and curator of "Homegrown National Park".
Enrique Salmon- Iwigara
Daniel Moerman -Native American Ethnobotany
Heather Holm- https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com
Native Plants of the Midwest
Planting in a Post-Wild World
Jon Farrar's Field Guide to Wildflowers of Nebraska
Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/
Find us on Facebook
Visit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fm
Give us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraska
Support My Work via Patreon
The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.
30 epizódok
A Player FM lejátszó az internetet böngészi a kiváló minőségű podcastok után, hogy ön élvezhesse azokat. Ez a legjobb podcast-alkalmazás, Androidon, iPhone-on és a weben is működik. Jelentkezzen be az feliratkozások szinkronizálásához az eszközök között.