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<v Speaker 1>Broadcasting from sunny and dry West Michigan and Studio A

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<v Speaker 1>here at proven winners Color Choice Shrubs. It's time for

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<v Speaker 1>the Gardening Simplified Show with Stacy, Hervella me Rick weisst

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<v Speaker 1>and our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well, we're going

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<v Speaker 1>to have a field day today. We're going to talk

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<v Speaker 1>about meadows and I'll start it off with a quote

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<v Speaker 1>and on the whole enormous prairie, there was no sign

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<v Speaker 1>that any other human being had ever been there, Laura

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<v Speaker 1>Ingalls Wilder little house on the prairie. But you know,

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<v Speaker 1>there's a lot of interest in meadow gardening right now.

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<v Speaker 1>There's no single definition of a meadow garden. A meadow

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<v Speaker 1>is about seasonal highlights, and we're seeing a trend toward

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<v Speaker 1>the modern medal to enjoy unbridled nature right there on

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<v Speaker 1>your own landscape, your own yard. Also known as a

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<v Speaker 1>stylized metal they're designed to be a more manageable scale

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<v Speaker 1>of a metal and we get the nature, the movement,

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<v Speaker 1>the color, maybe even minimalism, and of course pollinators, all

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<v Speaker 1>the great things that come along with a metal landscape.

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<v Speaker 1>For me, Stacy, I'm most excited about the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>most metal landscapes have lots and lots of grasses.

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<v Speaker 2>I think grasses probably are one of the things that

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<v Speaker 2>people most associate with meadows, but I think that the

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<v Speaker 2>romance and the reason that people really want to grow

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<v Speaker 2>or have their own meadow is the flowers. And I

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<v Speaker 2>think a lot of this was really kind of popularized

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<v Speaker 2>by someone we've spoken about quite a bit over the

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<v Speaker 2>past couple weeks in our series on American gardens, and

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<v Speaker 2>that's Pete Dudolph. Absolutely, you know, Pete's planting style is

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<v Speaker 2>very metal like, and it really contrasts He was not

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<v Speaker 2>the first to do this, right. This can go back

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<v Speaker 2>to Omi and Ven Sweden in the nineteen nineties who

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<v Speaker 2>were kind of doing these mass perennial plantings with a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of ornamental grasses, and those were kind of starting

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<v Speaker 2>to evolve to the metal look. But this really contrasts

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<v Speaker 2>with kind of like the classic English border where everything

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<v Speaker 2>is bun and toughet and kind of relegated to its

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<v Speaker 2>own little neat spot and everything just takes up its

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<v Speaker 2>own space, whereas the meadow and this new modern, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>kind of perennial, new perennialist planting is a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>things mixed together, as Udolph calls it, the matrix. So

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<v Speaker 2>it's really shifting from where everything is tidy and contained

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<v Speaker 2>to a sort of exuberant celebration of where everything looks

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<v Speaker 2>naturalistic even though and it's all interwoven and inter knitted,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, just makes this beautiful whole and it

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<v Speaker 2>looks very natural and not man made. But it is

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<v Speaker 2>actually deceptive. It is the I read about this in

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<v Speaker 2>preparation for the show today. It is the paradox of effort.

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<v Speaker 2>It actually takes a lot of effort to make something

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<v Speaker 2>look that effortless exactly.

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<v Speaker 1>And I'm so glad you brought that up, because it

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<v Speaker 1>requires planning.

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<v Speaker 2>It sure does.

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<v Speaker 1>It requires planning. Modern metal gardening is the new frontier

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<v Speaker 1>for many. The frontier is the front lawn, converting it

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<v Speaker 1>over from a traditional lawn, and it may requires some

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<v Speaker 1>neighbor negotiations or at least to make the neighbors say, well, say, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to give you a heads up here, we're

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<v Speaker 1>going metal here. But it requires planning. It's not about

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<v Speaker 1>going to some store and finding a can of metal

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<v Speaker 1>mixed wildflowers and just chucking that out there.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, for the love of all that is holy in

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<v Speaker 2>the garden. Do not do that. You know, we will

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<v Speaker 2>definitely get to talking about seeds versus plants and all

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<v Speaker 2>of that in a meadow. But the simple fact is

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<v Speaker 2>that at your average garden center, garden store, feedstore, or whatever,

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of those mixes that they are selling as

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<v Speaker 2>metal mixes are full of horrible plants that will that

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<v Speaker 2>are not native and will become very invasive and problematic.

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<v Speaker 2>So or annuals or yeah, annuals, and they won't do

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<v Speaker 2>anything for you year after year. So it is a

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<v Speaker 2>place where you neverinitely need to do your research. And

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<v Speaker 2>I think that really I would never want to be

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<v Speaker 2>discouraging from anyone who wants to plant a meadow, but

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<v Speaker 2>you do have to be realistic. As simple as it looks,

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<v Speaker 2>it's not that way in reality.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's because natural meatals have evolved over many years.

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<v Speaker 1>They've adapted to environmental conditions, intricate associations of plants and nature.

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<v Speaker 1>So you have to have a plan. Nature's plan will

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<v Speaker 1>win out dominance, so you kind of go for go

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<v Speaker 1>with the flow, and yet you have to make sure

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<v Speaker 1>that you have a plan going in. I guess the

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<v Speaker 1>lawn and sho of it is metal gardening is still gardening.

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<v Speaker 2>It is very much still guardening. It's actually it's landscaping

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<v Speaker 2>even you know, it's not simply gardening. It takes a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of prep work and it takes a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>patients to get there. And you know, we were talking

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<v Speaker 2>about the Lury garden, and you know, you can see

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<v Speaker 2>the pictures of the lury garden evolve from when it

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<v Speaker 2>was planted until now, and that is a long process.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, I think one of the most important

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<v Speaker 2>parts about well, about gardening in general, but especially about

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<v Speaker 2>meadow gardening or native plant gardening in general. Uh, you

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<v Speaker 2>are forced to be an editor, and if you are

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<v Speaker 2>an editor, you need to know what you're looking to

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<v Speaker 2>edit out. Yeah, and that it's a really important part

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<v Speaker 2>of that because you have to control a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>more aggressive plants that are going to naturally come into

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<v Speaker 2>your meadow and make sure that they don't overtake it

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<v Speaker 2>because that delicate you're trying to kind of maintain this delicate,

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<v Speaker 2>esthetically driven balance.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no question about that. Plan on plants in mass

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<v Speaker 1>so to speak, drifts of plants, that's where the simplicity

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<v Speaker 1>comes in. But that planning is super important because you

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<v Speaker 1>want to design where it still feels loose and natural,

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<v Speaker 1>but a lot of thought has gone into it. And

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<v Speaker 1>you're so right about that also, Stacy, if it involves

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<v Speaker 1>some invasive plants in short order, they're going to take over.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and they'll come in anyway. That's why they're invasive plants.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I mean it's a lot of work. And

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<v Speaker 2>you know, if we take a garden like the high

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<v Speaker 2>Line or the Urry Garden to gardens that I think

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<v Speaker 2>of Pete Udolph's that really are responsible for all of

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<v Speaker 2>this interest in meadows, go ahead and go on to

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<v Speaker 2>their websites and look at how many gardeners they have.

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<v Speaker 2>It is not just a set it and forget it

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<v Speaker 2>type of thing. Again, not trying to be discouraging, but

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<v Speaker 2>it is always rather amazing that not only when we

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<v Speaker 2>see those gardens that they look natural and effortless, but

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<v Speaker 2>that when we're driving through country roads at this time

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<v Speaker 2>of year and through the next, you know, all through

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<v Speaker 2>August and September, when meadows are just at peak because

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<v Speaker 2>beautiful celadego's blooming and the job hiweed and everything, and

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<v Speaker 2>you just look at, oh, look at what an amazing

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<v Speaker 2>job mother nature is doing. I could do that at

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<v Speaker 2>home and just kind of let mother nature take over,

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<v Speaker 2>And no, it doesn't work that way. Meadows are relatively

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<v Speaker 2>low maintenance, lower maintenance than a lawn, but you also

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<v Speaker 2>have to know what you're doing correct alon You don't

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<v Speaker 2>need to really know what you're doing to maintain too

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<v Speaker 2>much anyway.

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<v Speaker 1>So the key aspect here is you don't need little

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<v Speaker 1>house on the prairie. A modern meadow for your yard

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<v Speaker 1>could be one hundred to two thousand square feet somewhere

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<v Speaker 1>in that area where you've got a good manageable size

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<v Speaker 1>to start. Because remember, one of the first competitors is

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<v Speaker 1>you try to establish this garden is going to be

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<v Speaker 1>the weeds, and if you don't take the right approach,

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<v Speaker 1>the weeds can choke out the desirable plants. I recommend,

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<v Speaker 1>by the way, and it's what I did in my

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<v Speaker 1>front yard when all the lawn went out, a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of grasses went in, but I used plugs. If you

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<v Speaker 1>can get your hands on some plugs, that's a great

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<v Speaker 1>way to start. A number of the panicoms, for example,

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<v Speaker 1>or the loriope, or some of the plants that I

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<v Speaker 1>put in were plugs, and it made it easy, but

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<v Speaker 1>you have to prepare first and take care of some

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<v Speaker 1>of the weeds. And that's why the timing of the

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<v Speaker 1>show is great. Also because, in my opinion, August is

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<v Speaker 1>a time to kill vegetation. September is a time to

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<v Speaker 1>establish vegetation. And solarization is an option if you're looking

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<v Speaker 1>to kill weed, seed and weeds so that when you

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<v Speaker 1>start to put these plugs into the ground or establish

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<v Speaker 1>these wildflowers or plants, they have a competitive edge against

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<v Speaker 1>the weeds which are going to try to choke them

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<v Speaker 1>out right.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know it's not just weeds, it was your

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<v Speaker 2>formerly desirable plants. Yes, because the lawn is one of

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<v Speaker 2>the biggest, you know, things that you're going to have

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<v Speaker 2>to fight against. To try to get a meadow established,

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<v Speaker 2>you're going to need to completely kill that grass back.

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<v Speaker 2>The general recommendation is to mow that down, completely scalp it.

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<v Speaker 2>So do what you're not supposed to do to a

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<v Speaker 2>regular lawn low as possible, mowing, scalp that thing down,

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<v Speaker 2>get it stressed, get that sun beaten down on those crowns. Everything.

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<v Speaker 2>We recommend anyone who doesn't want a nice looking land

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<v Speaker 2>to do. And then some people will Yeah, even put

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<v Speaker 2>plastic over that to try to make sure that all

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<v Speaker 2>of that dies. So you do need a clean slate,

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<v Speaker 2>but nature abhors a vacuum. So once you have that

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<v Speaker 2>clean slate, whether you're starting with plugs or you're starting

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<v Speaker 2>with seeds, and both are very viable ways. I do

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<v Speaker 2>want to say, unless you have boatloads a dough, this

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<v Speaker 2>is not starting a meadow is not the kind of

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<v Speaker 2>project that you usually go.

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<v Speaker 1>To your garden center for.

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<v Speaker 2>We're all for shopping at your local garden center, but

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<v Speaker 2>you will go broke trying to plant up a meadow

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<v Speaker 2>out of one plus gallon perennials. You're going to be

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<v Speaker 2>starting with seeds from a reputable native plant seed supplying

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<v Speaker 2>meadow supplier that you know is creating custom mixes specifically

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<v Speaker 2>for your conditions, or like you said, plugs.

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<v Speaker 1>Plugs are a good way to go. And you're going

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<v Speaker 1>to want to incorporate grasses. So the grass we're talking

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<v Speaker 1>about killing is the traditional lawn type tough grass. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>the ornamental grasses that we're going to be using, or

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<v Speaker 1>grasses within this metal are going to be similar to

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<v Speaker 1>what pete odolph uses, blue stem or panicoms are great.

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<v Speaker 1>He uses carl forrester. The calamagrossis type grasses.

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<v Speaker 2>Probolis is another favorite of theirs, and I don't think

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know that he uses nasilla anymore in the US.

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<v Speaker 2>Are also known as stippa because that has become quite invasive.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's just got such a beautiful soft texture, so

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<v Speaker 2>that might be a no no in some places. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>it's not as simple as just saying, oh, well, I

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<v Speaker 2>happen to really like miscanthus. Misscanthus doesn't usually have a

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<v Speaker 2>place in a metow garden because it's so structural correct correct,

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<v Speaker 2>and so like imposing kind of in the landscape.

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<v Speaker 1>But using those types of grasses is going to be

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<v Speaker 1>very important. Why grasses They provide support and protection for

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<v Speaker 1>tall flowers. They fill in spaces around wildflowers that otherwise

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<v Speaker 1>would be occupied by weeds. They add color and texture

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<v Speaker 1>to the landscape. They add movement to the landscape. They

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<v Speaker 1>add winter interest to the landscape. They prevent soil erosion.

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<v Speaker 1>They provide food and cover for wildlife. Can you tell

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<v Speaker 1>I love grasses? Yes, And a meadow garden in many

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<v Speaker 1>cases is going to involve maybe fifty percent of grasses.

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<v Speaker 1>But of course that's an arguable point. So here we go.

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<v Speaker 1>Grasses are part of a meadow, Limerick Today. A meadow

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<v Speaker 1>is natural and logical. Establishment is economical. The logic is

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<v Speaker 1>sound with benefits year round that are simply astronomical.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a good one, thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>I like it.

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<v Speaker 2>Can't believe it's the first time you've maaded.

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<v Speaker 1>Actually, I have some ground that is fallow, so I

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<v Speaker 1>think I'll start a modern meadow, a simple connection to

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<v Speaker 1>nature without all the nomenclature to view while I sip

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<v Speaker 1>on a merlow see where I'm going. Get my drift

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<v Speaker 1>swaths sizable, not short shrift and lots of grasses. They're

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<v Speaker 1>not dull to me. The grass is half full. Sorry,

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<v Speaker 1>Their wind driven sway is a lift. I'm looking forward

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<v Speaker 1>to this topic. Let's dive in see what Stacy has

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<v Speaker 1>in mind and plants on trial. That's next here on

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<v Speaker 1>the Gardening Simplified.

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<v Speaker 2>Show, beautify your home and community with proven winner's color

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<v Speaker 2>choice shrubs with over three hundred and twenty five unique

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<v Speaker 2>varieties to choose from. There's a flowering shrub or evergreen

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00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.080
<v Speaker 2>for every taste and every space. Just look for the

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00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:05.159
<v Speaker 2>distinctive white container your local garden Center or learn more

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<v Speaker 2>at Proven Winner's Color Choice dot com. Greeting's gardening friends,

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<v Speaker 2>and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. We are

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<v Speaker 2>talking all about meadows, and the reason that we waited

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<v Speaker 2>all season long to do the menows show here in

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<v Speaker 2>late July early August is because now it's the perfect

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<v Speaker 2>time to start planning for a meadow. We didn't want

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<v Speaker 2>to do this in spring and say, hey, hey, you

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<v Speaker 2>got to wait till fall to work on your meadows.

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<v Speaker 2>We wanted to do it closer to when you would

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<v Speaker 2>actually be doing that work. So if it's been rolling

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<v Speaker 2>around in your head and you've been looking for a sign,

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<v Speaker 2>here it is. We'll get to a lot more about

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<v Speaker 2>installing meadows and all of that later in the show,

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<v Speaker 2>but for now, since it's been a while since we've

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<v Speaker 2>done a Plants on Trial because we were devoting the

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<v Speaker 2>last several weeks to our American Gardens series, let me

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<v Speaker 2>just remind you that Plants on Trial is where we

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<v Speaker 2>talk about one of the three hundred and fifty plus

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<v Speaker 2>actually it's four hundred plus now Proven Winner's Color Choice

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<v Speaker 2>shrubs or trees and kind of tell you why you

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<v Speaker 2>might want to plant it. In the garden. Sure, and

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<v Speaker 2>very often you know the theme, it's kind of more thematic, right,

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<v Speaker 2>Like I'll give a bunch of different plants that kind

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<v Speaker 2>of fit the theme of the show. Sometimes I'll just

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<v Speaker 2>focus on one, and sometimes, you know, I have to

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<v Speaker 2>really kind of dig deep into the brain to find

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<v Speaker 2>a connection. And it's it's quite difficult with meadows because

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<v Speaker 2>shrubs and meadows are mortal enemies, not really in a

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<v Speaker 2>way that like they hate each other or they're bad

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<v Speaker 2>for each other or anything like that, but the presence

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<v Speaker 2>of shrubs in a meadow. And now we're talking about nature.

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<v Speaker 2>We're not talking about gardening. We're talking about meadows in nature.

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<v Speaker 2>Because all of this inspiration for that beautiful meadow, even

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<v Speaker 2>for Pete Udolph and other designers who work in that style,

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<v Speaker 2>did come from nature originally. They are trying to kind

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<v Speaker 2>of replicate that and and tweak it so that it

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<v Speaker 2>is more esthetically pleasing for humans. But meadows are a

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<v Speaker 2>stage in ecological succession. And basically ecological succession, if you

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<v Speaker 2>aren't familiar with this concept, is that within any given

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<v Speaker 2>patch of earth whatever, like basically everything is kind of

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<v Speaker 2>in an ever evolving state and basically what happens with

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<v Speaker 2>meadows is that they are kind of the next step

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<v Speaker 2>in old farmland. Very often that we do have natural meadows,

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<v Speaker 2>of course in the prairies, are beautiful prairies in central

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<v Speaker 2>North America are you know, a natural occurring kind of meadow.

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<v Speaker 2>But very often the meadows that we see it here

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<v Speaker 2>in West Michigan especially are evolving farmland. So when a

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<v Speaker 2>shrub starts to suddenly appear in a meadow, it's actually

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<v Speaker 2>a sign that that meadow is now transitioning into becoming

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<v Speaker 2>a woodland instead of a primarily herbaceous plant meadow, because

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<v Speaker 2>meadows are driven by herbaceous plants, plants that die back

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<v Speaker 2>to their roots every year and don't have any kind

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<v Speaker 2>of wood or anything like that standing.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's a great point, Stacy, And so it makes

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<v Speaker 1>a good point as we develop our modern meadows for

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<v Speaker 1>our lawns, we're not necessarily looking for height. No, just

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<v Speaker 1>like the planes, we're looking for that vista.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, exactly. So you know how, So what I wanted

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<v Speaker 2>to kind of talk about, instead of really just getting

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<v Speaker 2>into a single plant, was talking about sort of the

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<v Speaker 2>role that shrubs play in succession, including with meadows. Now

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<v Speaker 2>as I was looking into this topic so that I

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<v Speaker 2>could give you all correct information. I found something quite fascinating.

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<v Speaker 2>So this phenomenon of ecological succession was first described by

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<v Speaker 2>University of Chicago professor Henry Chandler Cowells in the eighteen nineties.

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<v Speaker 2>So he was teaching ecology or whatever ecology was called,

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<v Speaker 2>probably natural resources or something back then. And Chicago, of

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<v Speaker 2>course is on Lake Michigan and very close to Indiana Dunes,

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<v Speaker 2>which is a Indiana State Park as well as a

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<v Speaker 2>National Lake Shore, I think is what it is. And

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<v Speaker 2>as he was walking around Indiana Dunes, and as you

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<v Speaker 2>can imagine, it was much different in the eighteen nineties

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<v Speaker 2>than it is today, he was noticing that the dunes

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<v Speaker 2>were full of old tree stumps, that it was itself

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<v Speaker 2>a landscape sort of in flux, transitioning from something that

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<v Speaker 2>had used to have been forests and was now starting

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<v Speaker 2>to transition into something else. So all of this, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>kind of foundational work in ecological succession was done right

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<v Speaker 2>here on our own much loved and beautiful Lake Michigan.

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<v Speaker 2>So how cool is that?

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<v Speaker 1>I love it?

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<v Speaker 2>Right, So basically you can still see this if you

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<v Speaker 2>are you know, really I think probably. I can't speak

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<v Speaker 2>for Wisconsin. I haven't explored the Wisconsin like Michigan shorelines

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<v Speaker 2>too much, but I suspect it's the same. But certainly

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<v Speaker 2>Indiana and all over here in West Michigan, where we

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<v Speaker 2>are in the middle of the largest freshwater dune system

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<v Speaker 2>in the world, you can actually see succession in action.

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<v Speaker 2>And I'm just thinking of a park that I go

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<v Speaker 2>to frequently, Rosy Mound Park here in grant Haven. Beautiful,

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<v Speaker 2>beautiful place and what you will see and when you

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<v Speaker 2>are there, you kind of have to do it in

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<v Speaker 2>reverse because you're coming from land and then going towards

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<v Speaker 2>the lake. But how this actually works is, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>bought closer to the lake, you have very sandy dune

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<v Speaker 2>like areas, and you get just a little bit of

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<v Speaker 2>distance away and you get the beach grass and we've

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<v Speaker 2>talked about beach grass lots and lots, and then that's

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<v Speaker 2>kind of like the fore dune. And then once you

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<v Speaker 2>get over the beach grass, you have another level of succession.

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<v Speaker 2>And then you know, especially Rose Mound is a great

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<v Speaker 2>example because you're kind of going up that dune and

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<v Speaker 2>you see junipers and all of this other stuff, and

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<v Speaker 2>then you get into a pine and beach forest, and

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<v Speaker 2>if you were able to go further in lind you'd

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<v Speaker 2>start getting into an oak forest. And that is kind

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<v Speaker 2>of the different levels of succession. And here in West

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<v Speaker 2>Michigan the kind of pioneer species, and that's what these

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<v Speaker 2>woody plants that really show up and start to fundamentally

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<v Speaker 2>transform these environments are called as pioneer species. The main

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<v Speaker 2>pioneer species for the lake shore juniper.

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<v Speaker 1>I believe it.

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<v Speaker 2>I run across literally hopefully not literally run across them.

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<v Speaker 2>So let's just think about this for a minute. So

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<v Speaker 2>junipers are a plant that is easily spread by berries

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<v Speaker 2>they have, well, I mean they're not technically berries, because

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<v Speaker 2>junipers are not technically flowering plants, so we'll just call

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<v Speaker 2>them berries for the sake of the argument. So birds

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<v Speaker 2>eat them, and you know, they fly over to the lake.

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<v Speaker 2>The seeds end up landing in this area, and the

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<v Speaker 2>juniper seed can germinate in very difficult conditions, so it

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<v Speaker 2>can be in those open sandy areas, it can take

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<v Speaker 2>the shifting winds and everything that may bury it or

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<v Speaker 2>unbury it and be able to withstand all of that.

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<v Speaker 2>And then once that juniper seedling starts to grow, it

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<v Speaker 2>starts to fundamentally change the area around it. It's all

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<v Speaker 2>of a sudden, providing shade where there was absolutely none

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<v Speaker 2>before because there were no woody plants, there were no trees. Sure,

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<v Speaker 2>So now this little juniper is providing some shade, and

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<v Speaker 2>that is going to allow new seeds that blow in

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<v Speaker 2>on the wind or come in on animals to potentially

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<v Speaker 2>grow because that is a different environment. This woody plant,

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<v Speaker 2>because it is persistent all year round, is going to

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<v Speaker 2>catch leaves and other things like that and start to

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<v Speaker 2>develop organic matter around that which will still allow other

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<v Speaker 2>plants to grow. And that shade will also allow these

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<v Speaker 2>other seeds to grow. And I think we have all

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<v Speaker 2>experienced this, or almost all of us have experienced this,

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<v Speaker 2>had a juniper in our landscape or a family member

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<v Speaker 2>a friend's landscape, and those weeds start growing up through

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<v Speaker 2>it the worst. Yeah, we're all in agreement here. I

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<v Speaker 2>know you can't see an you're on his face, but

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<v Speaker 2>she is enthusiastically nodding. She knows the feeling. So juniper

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<v Speaker 2>is almost a nurse species. It changes the environment so much,

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<v Speaker 2>and that is then when you're able to get all

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<v Speaker 2>of these other things that start growing, and the juniper

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<v Speaker 2>itself provides structure for birds to sit in and you know,

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00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:06.079
<v Speaker 2>have even spread around even more seeds. It provides a

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<v Speaker 2>place for you know, squirrels and chipmunks to hide from

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<v Speaker 2>snakes and hawks and all of this other stuff. So

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00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.079
<v Speaker 2>they are so that is kind of the the pioneer

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<v Speaker 2>species for us here on the lake shore. But I

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<v Speaker 2>think when we think about sort of the typical meadow

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<v Speaker 2>more inland or what we're seeing is with farmland in transition,

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<v Speaker 2>the pioneer species tend to be very tough native shrubs

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<v Speaker 2>that sucker. So the number one culprits that we're seeing

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00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:37.920
<v Speaker 2>transition meadows into woodlands in those areas are going to

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<v Speaker 2>be things like red twig dogwood also spread by berries,

387
00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:45.799
<v Speaker 2>Erronia also spread by berries, and highly suckering sumac. Wow,

388
00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:49.039
<v Speaker 2>what do you know, spread by beer? Yes, definitely, And

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00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.319
<v Speaker 2>I love seemac. I mean it's a beautiful plant. And

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00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:54.559
<v Speaker 2>willow now willow is spread by seed. But what you'll

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<v Speaker 2>also notice about all of these plants is they are

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<v Speaker 2>very very durable. They can take pretty much any kind

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00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:04.319
<v Speaker 2>of soil, they can take any kind of sun, pretty

394
00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:06.920
<v Speaker 2>much all of these have you know, some shade tolerance

395
00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:09.839
<v Speaker 2>as well as sun tolerance, and again they have this

396
00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:13.079
<v Speaker 2>suckering habits. So not only is that little seedling going

397
00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:15.319
<v Speaker 2>to start growing, but those plants are going to put

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00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:18.799
<v Speaker 2>out runners and start to kind of grow and establish

399
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<v Speaker 2>and then be actually quite competitive against a lot of

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00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:26.400
<v Speaker 2>these herbaceous plants that would otherwise be spreading. So in

401
00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.599
<v Speaker 2>a meadow, these types of shrubs are a bad thing

402
00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:31.559
<v Speaker 2>because it basically means that your meadow will eventually in time,

403
00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:33.640
<v Speaker 2>and we're talking about a scale of you know, I

404
00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:36.640
<v Speaker 2>think the general ecological scale of succession is considered to

405
00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:38.519
<v Speaker 2>be about one hundred and fifty years, So this is

406
00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:41.400
<v Speaker 2>not like happening overnight. You know. Obviously it depends on

407
00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:44.720
<v Speaker 2>a number of different factors. And I am speaking specifically

408
00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:48.319
<v Speaker 2>about North American species here, because in other countries, like

409
00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:51.680
<v Speaker 2>especially Australia, things are totally totally different. But what we

410
00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:54.880
<v Speaker 2>can do as gardeners, and we're not trying to grow meadows,

411
00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:58.680
<v Speaker 2>is to kind of look at those traits, those durabilities

412
00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:01.599
<v Speaker 2>that those plants have and use them to our advantage

413
00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:04.599
<v Speaker 2>in the landscape and say, hey, these are pioneer species.

414
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<v Speaker 2>These can tough it out against plants that I may

415
00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:09.359
<v Speaker 2>not want or plants that I don't want to manage,

416
00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:14.440
<v Speaker 2>and really use those to transform areas into low maintenance landscapes.

417
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<v Speaker 2>So things like arctic fire red in, Arctic fire yellow

418
00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:22.000
<v Speaker 2>red twig dogwoods, those are two great choices. Sun tolerant,

419
00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:25.519
<v Speaker 2>shade tolerant, drought tolerant, wet tolerant, just durable, durable plants.

420
00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:27.079
<v Speaker 2>The same thing can be said about all of our

421
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:31.359
<v Speaker 2>erroneas lowscape, mound, lowscape, snowfire ground, hug and berry scape.

422
00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.960
<v Speaker 2>And if you are on the lake shore and you

423
00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:36.720
<v Speaker 2>want to get a piece of that pioneer juniper, you

424
00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:41.039
<v Speaker 2>can try out Montana moss in tortuga because again their

425
00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:44.799
<v Speaker 2>position as pioneer species means that they are very durable.

426
00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:47.200
<v Speaker 2>And while that's a bad thing for meadows, it can

427
00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:50.119
<v Speaker 2>be a very good thing for us as gardeners. We're

428
00:23:50.119 --> 00:23:52.000
<v Speaker 2>going to take a little break. When we come back.

429
00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:54.279
<v Speaker 2>We are opening up the mailbag, dusting it off, opening

430
00:23:54.319 --> 00:24:03.799
<v Speaker 2>it up, and we hope you'll stay tuned at proven

431
00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:07.000
<v Speaker 2>Winner's color choice shrubs. We know that a better landscape

432
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:10.200
<v Speaker 2>starts with a better shrub. Our team of experts tests

433
00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:13.039
<v Speaker 2>and evaluates all of our flowering shrubs and evergreens for

434
00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:16.440
<v Speaker 2>eight to ten years to ensure they outperform what's already

435
00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:20.720
<v Speaker 2>on the market. For easycare, reliable, beautiful shrubs to accentuate

436
00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:23.559
<v Speaker 2>your home and express your personal style, look for Proven

437
00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:26.440
<v Speaker 2>Winner's Shrubs in the distinctive white container at your local

438
00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:29.319
<v Speaker 2>garden center or learn more at Proven Winner's Color Choice

439
00:24:29.400 --> 00:24:34.400
<v Speaker 2>dot com. Cur Eating's gardening friends, and welcome back to

440
00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:36.799
<v Speaker 2>the Gardening Simplified Show, where it is our pleasure to

441
00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:40.000
<v Speaker 2>help you with your garden questions, quandaries and conundrums. And boy,

442
00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:42.640
<v Speaker 2>they are coming in hot and heavy these days because

443
00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:45.720
<v Speaker 2>well it's height range of season, and you know, that's

444
00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:49.079
<v Speaker 2>always a cause for lots of people to write us

445
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:51.119
<v Speaker 2>about what's happening with this, and what's happening with that?

446
00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:53.200
<v Speaker 2>And why isn't it blooming? Why is it blooming like this?

447
00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:58.640
<v Speaker 1>And just like the mailman, whether it's rain, sleet, snow, drought,

448
00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:01.160
<v Speaker 1>whatever it may be, we're here to deliver.

449
00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.519
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that's right.

450
00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:03.480
<v Speaker 1>At least we'll try.

451
00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:06.960
<v Speaker 2>We'll try, and we do have lots of articles and

452
00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:09.240
<v Speaker 2>so forth on our website, Proven Winners Color Choice dot

453
00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:11.039
<v Speaker 2>Com to kind of help you through all of those.

454
00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:14.160
<v Speaker 2>If you have a question and you want to reach

455
00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:16.440
<v Speaker 2>out to us Gardening Simplified on air dot com, there's

456
00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:18.599
<v Speaker 2>a contact form you can even attach photos, but we

457
00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.119
<v Speaker 2>can't get to all your questions there, so please don't

458
00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:24.039
<v Speaker 2>hesitate to also use the feedback form on proven Winners

459
00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:27.759
<v Speaker 2>dot com, where you will also hear from not a robot,

460
00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:32.680
<v Speaker 2>but from a real horticulturist who cares about your success. Uh.

461
00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:34.440
<v Speaker 2>And we do get back to those, although I have

462
00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:36.519
<v Speaker 2>to say the volume has been a little bit crushing

463
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:38.519
<v Speaker 2>lately because you know, there's just a lot going on.

464
00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:40.599
<v Speaker 1>Operators are standing by.

465
00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:43.559
<v Speaker 2>Well standing by. It's more like when you call a

466
00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:45.599
<v Speaker 2>credit card company and they're like, you are one hundred

467
00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:48.079
<v Speaker 2>and forty fifth in line. Would you like us to

468
00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:50.559
<v Speaker 2>call you back at a more convenient time? But we're

469
00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:51.160
<v Speaker 2>doing our best.

470
00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:54.039
<v Speaker 1>This call may be recorded for quality or sure.

471
00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:57.680
<v Speaker 2>I think you've got a bright future. That was That

472
00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:01.039
<v Speaker 2>was very pleasant. It didn't sell like a robot, you know,

473
00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:03.680
<v Speaker 2>like most of them do at all. But of course

474
00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:07.000
<v Speaker 2>we also care very much about your celebrations in the garden,

475
00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:09.599
<v Speaker 2>and so you know, I try not to toot our

476
00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:12.119
<v Speaker 2>own horn too much here at Proven Winter's Color Choice Shrubs.

477
00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:15.200
<v Speaker 2>We are here to share our experience and our expertise

478
00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:17.440
<v Speaker 2>and help you become the best gardener that you can be,

479
00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:20.039
<v Speaker 2>and that is our main goal, whether you ever buy

480
00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:23.960
<v Speaker 2>a Proven Winner's Color Choice Shrubs or not. But I

481
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:27.319
<v Speaker 2>did have to share this message from listener Kyle, and

482
00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:30.599
<v Speaker 2>he writes last fault, I asked about winter protection for

483
00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:33.839
<v Speaker 2>big leaf hydrangeas and you provided some great advice. I

484
00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:36.480
<v Speaker 2>just want to share how amazing my Let's Dance Skyview

485
00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:39.920
<v Speaker 2>hydrangea is performing at the end of June here in Minnesota,

486
00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:45.599
<v Speaker 2>USDA Zone four B. Now those words would never probably

487
00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:48.160
<v Speaker 2>have been heard in a sentence correct previous to this.

488
00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:54.319
<v Speaker 2>How well, how amazing big leaf hydrangea performing June Minnesota

489
00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:55.839
<v Speaker 2>like unheard of not.

490
00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:58.559
<v Speaker 1>Only the zone. But it was a rough winter.

491
00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:02.880
<v Speaker 2>Yes, so we all have terrible winter throughout the country,

492
00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:06.640
<v Speaker 2>and that is the kind of winter that definitely would

493
00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:09.200
<v Speaker 2>have killed back other big leaf hydrangees, and in fact

494
00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:12.400
<v Speaker 2>it did kill back Let's Dance Skyview. You experience die

495
00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:15.000
<v Speaker 2>back in your plants, We experience die back in our

496
00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:17.839
<v Speaker 2>plants here in our West Michigan Trowl Gardens and Adriana

497
00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:20.319
<v Speaker 2>and I will have a video out about that very soon.

498
00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:24.640
<v Speaker 2>And yet despite all of that, Let's Dance Skyview Hydrangea

499
00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:28.680
<v Speaker 2>is blooming everywhere. Yes, And that was really our goal

500
00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:31.359
<v Speaker 2>with this plant is to kind of make it as

501
00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:34.119
<v Speaker 2>fail proof as possible. Now, there's a lot of human

502
00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:36.559
<v Speaker 2>error that goes into big leaf hydrangeas that make them

503
00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:39.720
<v Speaker 2>not bloom. People cut them back, or landscape or cuts

504
00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:42.799
<v Speaker 2>them back or whatever. But really weather has traditionally been

505
00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:47.160
<v Speaker 2>some of the biggest obstacles to getting good flowers on hydrangea.

506
00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:50.279
<v Speaker 2>And what makes Let's Stance Skyview so different than any

507
00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:53.119
<v Speaker 2>other big leaf hydrangea on the market with possible exception

508
00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:56.599
<v Speaker 2>of Letstance can do which also has this characteristic it

509
00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:59.960
<v Speaker 2>sets flower buds even at the base of the plant.

510
00:28:00.119 --> 00:28:00.759
<v Speaker 1>It's amazing.

511
00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:04.319
<v Speaker 2>Before they only conventional varieties only set their flower buds

512
00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:06.480
<v Speaker 2>way up here at the tips, so if it got

513
00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:08.839
<v Speaker 2>browsed by deer or it got kicked, you know, taken

514
00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:11.720
<v Speaker 2>back by weather or whatever, it was gone like there

515
00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:15.079
<v Speaker 2>were no old wood flower buds at all. So because

516
00:28:15.160 --> 00:28:17.680
<v Speaker 2>Let's stan Skyview sets them low down on the ground,

517
00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:21.200
<v Speaker 2>they can actually survive all of those challenges. And what

518
00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:23.720
<v Speaker 2>you can see here in the photos that Kyle sent,

519
00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:28.759
<v Speaker 2>is that there's a lot of flowers that are fully open,

520
00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:30.519
<v Speaker 2>bright pink. It is a plant that can be pink

521
00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:33.359
<v Speaker 2>or blue depending on your soil chemistry. And those flowers

522
00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:36.039
<v Speaker 2>that are completely open, those are the old wood blooms.

523
00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:38.839
<v Speaker 2>And you can also see flowers that are just starting

524
00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:41.440
<v Speaker 2>to appear, and those are the new wood blooms. So

525
00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:44.400
<v Speaker 2>conventional big leaf hydrangeas they needed to get to a

526
00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:47.160
<v Speaker 2>certain level of maturity on each stem in order to

527
00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:49.559
<v Speaker 2>put a new wood bloom out. And for a lot

528
00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:51.640
<v Speaker 2>of people, especially for those of us in cold climates,

529
00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:54.960
<v Speaker 2>that didn't even happen until like September, so we wouldn't

530
00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:57.759
<v Speaker 2>even get the new wood blooms. So it's really just

531
00:28:57.799 --> 00:29:02.039
<v Speaker 2>a testament to the the you know, observation and testing

532
00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:05.480
<v Speaker 2>and refinement that has gone into this plant. Kyle continues

533
00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:07.839
<v Speaker 2>to say, this plant was covered with just a small

534
00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:10.759
<v Speaker 2>pile of wood mulch. This past winter. We spent a

535
00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:13.400
<v Speaker 2>good amount of time with temperatures well below negative twenty

536
00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:17.920
<v Speaker 2>degrees fahrenheit. Attached is a picture of inspiration for all

537
00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:19.720
<v Speaker 2>the other cold weather gardeners.

538
00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:23.200
<v Speaker 1>That's fantastic. Thank you Kyle and yes, mine are beautiful

539
00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:26.839
<v Speaker 1>in my landscape too, and I still contend last year,

540
00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:30.759
<v Speaker 1>and that's pretty impressive. Zone four B way to go,

541
00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:35.279
<v Speaker 1>But I still contend last year. It was that fluctuation

542
00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:38.680
<v Speaker 1>between cold and warm up, cold and warm up. It

543
00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:41.519
<v Speaker 1>went on for six or seven months, and I had

544
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:44.759
<v Speaker 1>a number of plants that suffered. But yes, the Let's

545
00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:48.000
<v Speaker 1>Dance skyview in my landscape gorgeous right now.

546
00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:50.680
<v Speaker 2>So it is not just hype that we say here,

547
00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:52.960
<v Speaker 2>because this is for Winterward's Color Choice shops. We are

548
00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:55.599
<v Speaker 2>thrilled to hear that you are having as much success

549
00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:57.240
<v Speaker 2>with this plant as we have to. So thank you

550
00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:57.839
<v Speaker 2>so much, Kyle.

551
00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:00.799
<v Speaker 1>What else we got, Teresa? It writes to us, Hello,

552
00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:05.279
<v Speaker 1>I garden in five B, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and most

553
00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:09.400
<v Speaker 1>of the cone flower buds on the plant have no petals.

554
00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:13.160
<v Speaker 1>I'm not sure if this is mites or astor yellows virus,

555
00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:16.480
<v Speaker 1>and wondering whether I discard the entire plant or cut

556
00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:18.759
<v Speaker 1>the blooms and attempt to treat the plant next year

557
00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:22.839
<v Speaker 1>in spring. Looking forward to your response and Stacy. The

558
00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:26.680
<v Speaker 1>first thing I thought about was astor yellows and if

559
00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:30.359
<v Speaker 1>it is astor yellows, then maybe their toasts.

560
00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:32.519
<v Speaker 2>Yes, So that was one of the reasons why I

561
00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:34.759
<v Speaker 2>felt like Teresa's question was so good to answer right now.

562
00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:38.119
<v Speaker 2>Because astro yellows is a disease. It is called by

563
00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:42.880
<v Speaker 2>what is known as a phytoplasma or a phytoplasma like organism,

564
00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:47.599
<v Speaker 2>which is just this weird organism. It's not a bacteria.

565
00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:51.799
<v Speaker 1>What affected Bill Murray in the movie Ghostbusters he gets

566
00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:52.640
<v Speaker 1>covered in it.

567
00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:57.359
<v Speaker 2>Yes, that was ectoplasma. Oh, ectoplasm. This is phytoplasma. So

568
00:30:57.519 --> 00:31:00.160
<v Speaker 2>it's not a bacteria, it's not a fungus, it's it's

569
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:04.119
<v Speaker 2>not a you know, nobody really can can. I mean,

570
00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:06.160
<v Speaker 2>there are scientists, of course you can describe what it is,

571
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:09.079
<v Speaker 2>but it's just this weird kind of organism. It is

572
00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:14.000
<v Speaker 2>spread through piercing and sucking insects like mites and aphids

573
00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:16.440
<v Speaker 2>and all of that kind of thing. And it so

574
00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:20.359
<v Speaker 2>yellowing is potentially one of the you know, symptoms that

575
00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:23.240
<v Speaker 2>you have astra yellows, but it causes all sorts of

576
00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:30.400
<v Speaker 2>weird contorted growth. Things just look very off. And if

577
00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:33.079
<v Speaker 2>you have ast yellows and it so it affects a

578
00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:36.200
<v Speaker 2>number of plants in the astor acy or the daisy family.

579
00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:40.240
<v Speaker 2>It also affects other plants as well, and that are

580
00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:43.039
<v Speaker 2>outside of that family. Very often these diseases are quite

581
00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:47.079
<v Speaker 2>confined to within a botanical family, a scientific plant family.

582
00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:49.039
<v Speaker 2>But in this case, there's all sorts of things that

583
00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:52.000
<v Speaker 2>can get astra yellows, even though it's still called astra yellows.

584
00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:56.000
<v Speaker 2>And yes, if you have a plant that has astra yellows,

585
00:31:56.359 --> 00:31:58.799
<v Speaker 2>the very best thing that you can do is to

586
00:31:58.839 --> 00:32:00.920
<v Speaker 2>take it out. And believe me, I know that is

587
00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:04.880
<v Speaker 2>easier said than done, because it's painful to take out

588
00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:08.039
<v Speaker 2>a plant, but all that's that they cannot recover from it,

589
00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:11.160
<v Speaker 2>and all that's going to happen is you have this

590
00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:16.200
<v Speaker 2>kind of capital of astra yellows for all of those

591
00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:19.640
<v Speaker 2>piercing and sucking insects to come suck up the astra

592
00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:23.480
<v Speaker 2>yellow sap from those plants and transmit it to other plants.

593
00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.720
<v Speaker 2>So you kind of have to take one for the

594
00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:29.319
<v Speaker 2>team and get those out of there if you can.

595
00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:31.960
<v Speaker 2>But I will say that in Teresa's case, this is

596
00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:35.279
<v Speaker 2>not est yellows because as you can see, the flowers

597
00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:38.480
<v Speaker 2>look perfectly healthy. If this was ast yellows, they would

598
00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:41.440
<v Speaker 2>be contorted and.

599
00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:42.720
<v Speaker 1>Look looking like almost paranormal.

600
00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:44.599
<v Speaker 2>Yes, paranormal is who.

601
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:48.680
<v Speaker 1>You're gonna call Stacey Hervella at proven Winter's Color Choice.

602
00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:50.440
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so I can give them the bad news and

603
00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:52.200
<v Speaker 2>you can just get to go over here having a

604
00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:54.200
<v Speaker 2>grand old time, and I have to be the bad guy,

605
00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:57.279
<v Speaker 2>good cop, bad cup. So yeah, it's hard. So I

606
00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:00.359
<v Speaker 2>think that what you do most likely have is the

607
00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:04.759
<v Speaker 2>cone mites, which is good news that you don't have astriellos,

608
00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:07.599
<v Speaker 2>because astriyellows can also cause a lack of petals. All

609
00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:11.680
<v Speaker 2>these plants and the cone mites are not really that bad.

610
00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:14.119
<v Speaker 2>I would just and again, your plant looks really lovely,

611
00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:15.880
<v Speaker 2>so I know this is a little bit of a heartbreak,

612
00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:18.160
<v Speaker 2>but I would go ahead and cut those off and

613
00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:22.599
<v Speaker 2>just discard them right now and just hope for better

614
00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:25.240
<v Speaker 2>next year, because that way, you know, the mites aren't

615
00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:27.839
<v Speaker 2>completing their life cycle since they're active in the cones

616
00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:30.839
<v Speaker 2>right now. I would also say that what I have

617
00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:34.880
<v Speaker 2>noticed is we have had a lot of really hot,

618
00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:40.119
<v Speaker 2>dry weather after a very nice mild, rainy season where

619
00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:41.839
<v Speaker 2>I didn't have to water for like a month. Boy,

620
00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:46.319
<v Speaker 2>am I paying that bill right now? And I'm finding

621
00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:48.279
<v Speaker 2>that with that hot weather that we've had that my

622
00:33:48.359 --> 00:33:51.039
<v Speaker 2>petals are not lasting very long. Like I have a

623
00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:54.240
<v Speaker 2>beautiful sunflower that just self sowed in the garden, loving it,

624
00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:57.039
<v Speaker 2>and one day I'm like, oh wow, that is gorgeous.

625
00:33:57.079 --> 00:33:58.880
<v Speaker 2>And the next day I'm watering and I'm like, where'd

626
00:33:58.920 --> 00:33:59.480
<v Speaker 2>the petals go?

627
00:34:00.119 --> 00:34:02.119
<v Speaker 1>Same thing. I've got them popping up all over the place.

628
00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:04.799
<v Speaker 2>They're beautiful, yes, but just yeah, with the heat. Also,

629
00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:07.480
<v Speaker 2>the petals are not lasting very long. I would also

630
00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:09.679
<v Speaker 2>add one other thing, and that is if you have

631
00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:14.079
<v Speaker 2>Japanese beetles, they love the petals. They may not cause

632
00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:16.199
<v Speaker 2>a lot of damage to the rest of the plant

633
00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:19.440
<v Speaker 2>like they would on like a rose or something like that,

634
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:22.800
<v Speaker 2>but Japanese beetles, cucumber beetles, there's all sorts of things

635
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:27.920
<v Speaker 2>that absolutely relish the opportunity to eat the petals of

636
00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:29.920
<v Speaker 2>your asters and other things like that.

637
00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:32.559
<v Speaker 1>And here in the mail bag, it's that time of

638
00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:36.039
<v Speaker 1>the year. Walk through your veggie garden. I nailed a

639
00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:38.599
<v Speaker 1>couple of them yesterday. Tomato horn worms.

640
00:34:38.639 --> 00:34:39.079
<v Speaker 2>Oh you did.

641
00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:44.039
<v Speaker 1>It's that season. A pepper plant just overnight crazy, So

642
00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:46.760
<v Speaker 1>be looking for tomato hornworms.

643
00:34:46.159 --> 00:34:49.440
<v Speaker 2>Too, Yeah, definitely. So there's it is high past season.

644
00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:51.719
<v Speaker 2>So you know, I would say if you are a

645
00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:54.760
<v Speaker 2>person with like a full time job, it's very easy

646
00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:57.639
<v Speaker 2>for things to happen during the day when you're away

647
00:34:57.679 --> 00:34:59.920
<v Speaker 2>at work, and then you get home and you're like, wait,

648
00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:02.880
<v Speaker 2>I thought, why isn't my cone flower have any petals?

649
00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:05.519
<v Speaker 2>And it was just a little cucumber beetle party that

650
00:35:05.559 --> 00:35:07.840
<v Speaker 2>you were invited to, and now you don't have any petals.

651
00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:10.480
<v Speaker 2>So lots of things happening. But the good news is

652
00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:13.400
<v Speaker 2>you don't have astro yellows. If you're seeing weirdness on

653
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:16.480
<v Speaker 2>any of your asters or anything in the astorracy, any

654
00:35:16.559 --> 00:35:20.000
<v Speaker 2>Daisy family plants or other plants, do look this up,

655
00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:23.079
<v Speaker 2>know how to identify it, what to look for, and

656
00:35:23.920 --> 00:35:26.800
<v Speaker 2>do try to bring yourself to remove those plants.

657
00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:29.400
<v Speaker 1>We can get can though. I mean, you know, if

658
00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:32.039
<v Speaker 1>you show up after work at home and the stay

659
00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:34.480
<v Speaker 1>puff marshmallow man is there, well then you got a

660
00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:35.519
<v Speaker 1>whole other thing going on.

661
00:35:35.880 --> 00:35:37.960
<v Speaker 2>Just don't cross your beams. We're going to take a

662
00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.159
<v Speaker 2>little break. When we come back, we are continuing our

663
00:35:40.199 --> 00:35:49.199
<v Speaker 2>conversation on meadow gardening, so please t you tuned. Thanks

664
00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:51.840
<v Speaker 2>for listening to the Gardening Simplified podcast. Brought to you

665
00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:55.119
<v Speaker 2>by Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs. Our award winning flowering

666
00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:58.000
<v Speaker 2>shrubs and evergreens are trialed and tested by experts with

667
00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:01.400
<v Speaker 2>your success in mind. Learn more at Proven winnerscolor Choice

668
00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:03.599
<v Speaker 2>dot com.

669
00:36:03.960 --> 00:36:06.880
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. So your meadow

670
00:36:06.960 --> 00:36:10.559
<v Speaker 1>garden doesn't have to be a mess. If you use

671
00:36:10.639 --> 00:36:16.599
<v Speaker 1>some rhythm and repetition in drifts, you can create that wild,

672
00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:22.119
<v Speaker 1>natural look, but not necessarily have what some people would

673
00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:26.039
<v Speaker 1>call a mess on your hands. Meadows are beautiful and

674
00:36:26.119 --> 00:36:30.840
<v Speaker 1>a wildflower metal is a complex interactive plant community, not

675
00:36:31.119 --> 00:36:38.760
<v Speaker 1>just a collection of individuals. And natural doesn't mean just native. Now.

676
00:36:38.800 --> 00:36:41.280
<v Speaker 1>I know this might be a controversial thing to say,

677
00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:45.280
<v Speaker 1>but again, when we go back to Adolph's gardens, Stacey,

678
00:36:45.320 --> 00:36:49.400
<v Speaker 1>he uses a lot of aliums, and aliums are a

679
00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:55.719
<v Speaker 1>genus that encompasses the entire northern hemisphere and beyond Europe

680
00:36:55.719 --> 00:36:56.360
<v Speaker 1>and Asia.

681
00:36:56.480 --> 00:37:00.639
<v Speaker 2>Yes, and there are a number of native alioms that

682
00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:03.360
<v Speaker 2>work very well in meadow gardens. And you know, I

683
00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:06.800
<v Speaker 2>think that Pete Udolph and other new naturalists would be

684
00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:08.840
<v Speaker 2>the first to say, hey, I never claimed this is

685
00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:12.320
<v Speaker 2>a native plant garden. I think that we very often

686
00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:16.960
<v Speaker 2>project the nativeness into these gardens because they feel of

687
00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:19.679
<v Speaker 2>the landscape, and so we kind of assume that they

688
00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:22.639
<v Speaker 2>are all natives. So it is absolutely possible to have

689
00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:26.599
<v Speaker 2>a naturalistic meadow that is perhaps some native plants and

690
00:37:26.639 --> 00:37:28.559
<v Speaker 2>some non native plants, and as long as you don't

691
00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:31.079
<v Speaker 2>have invasive plants that are going to cause problems for

692
00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:34.239
<v Speaker 2>you or your neighbors or whatever, that's perfectly fine. But

693
00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:37.199
<v Speaker 2>there are also lovely seed mixes that you can get

694
00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:40.199
<v Speaker 2>of one hundred percent North American natives as long as

695
00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:44.079
<v Speaker 2>you do your research and shop at the right places. So, yeah,

696
00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:46.079
<v Speaker 2>don't just assume that it's going to be a native

697
00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:48.480
<v Speaker 2>plant garden or that it must be, because there is

698
00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:51.000
<v Speaker 2>a lot of room, you know, to do all of

699
00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:54.239
<v Speaker 2>these different things. It's really just a question of your

700
00:37:54.360 --> 00:37:56.760
<v Speaker 2>values and what you want out of your meadow.

701
00:37:57.000 --> 00:37:59.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, there's a host of plants that you can use.

702
00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:02.320
<v Speaker 1>I mean, for me, I love seeing milkweed in a

703
00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:05.840
<v Speaker 1>type of meadow setting. I have seen people who have

704
00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:10.519
<v Speaker 1>created these meadow gardens and used solidago and it has

705
00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:11.400
<v Speaker 1>gotten out a hand.

706
00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:13.039
<v Speaker 2>Oh that's a plant that will definitely get in a

707
00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:15.920
<v Speaker 2>hand depending on which species you have. Absolutely correct.

708
00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:20.679
<v Speaker 1>So plant in drifts create repetition with similar colors and textures.

709
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:24.679
<v Speaker 1>It gives you some cohesion. Keep it simple, repeat plantings,

710
00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:29.039
<v Speaker 1>create a color succession. Use plants that bloom at different

711
00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:33.119
<v Speaker 1>times for continuous color throughout the season, because you know,

712
00:38:33.239 --> 00:38:37.760
<v Speaker 1>again this is something that is a seasonal experience. And

713
00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:44.119
<v Speaker 1>don't forget pathways. I think pathways are important as you

714
00:38:44.239 --> 00:38:47.239
<v Speaker 1>design the garden. And also I like to get some

715
00:38:47.440 --> 00:38:51.239
<v Speaker 1>plants that are along the pathway that are going to

716
00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:54.440
<v Speaker 1>escape their bounds just a little bit, so as you

717
00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:59.239
<v Speaker 1>walk this path the foliage brushes against your leg. It's

718
00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:03.840
<v Speaker 1>just this romantic feel as you walk through a meadow garden.

719
00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:08.159
<v Speaker 1>Maybe a rustic bench where you can sit and relax

720
00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:12.519
<v Speaker 1>for a while, but try to establish that feeling of

721
00:39:12.599 --> 00:39:16.719
<v Speaker 1>the open metal. And then again, plants that aren't too tall,

722
00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:18.440
<v Speaker 1>because we're trying to create that.

723
00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:21.039
<v Speaker 2>Feel, right, And I mean, what good is a meadow

724
00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:23.360
<v Speaker 2>garden that you can only look at from the outer

725
00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:26.480
<v Speaker 2>edges and not kind of be in the middle and

726
00:39:26.559 --> 00:39:29.800
<v Speaker 2>have that amazing feeling of just being surrounded by plants.

727
00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:32.480
<v Speaker 2>And so, you know, it is absolutely acceptable if you're

728
00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:36.360
<v Speaker 2>starting with especially a seed mix. Very often those are

729
00:39:36.400 --> 00:39:38.440
<v Speaker 2>intended to be mowed and you can just mow a

730
00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:41.960
<v Speaker 2>path right through it. You can even mow different paths

731
00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:46.880
<v Speaker 2>every year, you know, to do something different, but yeah,

732
00:39:47.079 --> 00:39:48.599
<v Speaker 2>that you do want to make sure that you have

733
00:39:48.679 --> 00:39:51.400
<v Speaker 2>a way to access it, not just to enjoy it,

734
00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:55.000
<v Speaker 2>but also to maintain it. Because you know, meadows, most meadows,

735
00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:58.360
<v Speaker 2>even though especially like an oodolf style or more naturalistic style,

736
00:39:58.400 --> 00:40:00.880
<v Speaker 2>will include bulbs and that type of stuff that will

737
00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:02.920
<v Speaker 2>be just fine in spring. You know, when there's nothing

738
00:40:03.079 --> 00:40:06.119
<v Speaker 2>around to kind of shade it out, you are going

739
00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:08.599
<v Speaker 2>to have to cut plants back and remove all of that,

740
00:40:08.840 --> 00:40:12.280
<v Speaker 2>you know, brush and cut back perennial parts at some point,

741
00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:16.239
<v Speaker 2>either in late fall or in early spring. My choice

742
00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:18.559
<v Speaker 2>would be early spring, just so you have something to

743
00:40:18.559 --> 00:40:20.320
<v Speaker 2>look at all season long. But of course it all

744
00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:23.079
<v Speaker 2>depends on when you have the most work to do. Right,

745
00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:25.480
<v Speaker 2>perfectly fine to do that in fall, after everything has

746
00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:27.400
<v Speaker 2>gone dormant, if you prefer so. You need to get

747
00:40:27.400 --> 00:40:29.119
<v Speaker 2>in there and do that. You need to get in

748
00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:32.079
<v Speaker 2>there and manage weeds, especially for the first three years

749
00:40:32.119 --> 00:40:35.440
<v Speaker 2>of trying to establish this garden, and you need to

750
00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:39.760
<v Speaker 2>make sure that nothing undesirable starts to get established and outcompetes.

751
00:40:40.039 --> 00:40:41.280
<v Speaker 2>The plants are paying good money for you.

752
00:40:41.320 --> 00:40:44.199
<v Speaker 1>I can't emphasize that enough. That's why from the start

753
00:40:44.320 --> 00:40:47.719
<v Speaker 1>and why August is such a great time, especially solarization,

754
00:40:48.519 --> 00:40:50.719
<v Speaker 1>and that's what I did in my landscape, and then

755
00:40:50.760 --> 00:40:54.119
<v Speaker 1>I went with plugs and smaller plants along with seed

756
00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:57.760
<v Speaker 1>to start to develop. This look so super important. You

757
00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:00.000
<v Speaker 1>got to give them a competitive edge against the wind

758
00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:07.760
<v Speaker 1>and also drought or heat. So some soil preparation is necessary.

759
00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:11.079
<v Speaker 1>Make sure to plan ahead for that and give them

760
00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:15.880
<v Speaker 1>that competitive edge. And you know, great perspective there, Stacey,

761
00:41:15.960 --> 00:41:20.760
<v Speaker 1>because in some cases these modern meadows, maybe we're using

762
00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:23.599
<v Speaker 1>it in our front yard. Yes, you're going to have

763
00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:27.199
<v Speaker 1>to mow or prune or trim maybe a couple of

764
00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:30.760
<v Speaker 1>times a year, but that sure beats having to cut

765
00:41:30.800 --> 00:41:33.639
<v Speaker 1>the grass twice a week with a conventional line.

766
00:41:33.719 --> 00:41:36.920
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely I would much rather do that. Yes, and you

767
00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:38.519
<v Speaker 2>know you are again going to have to spend those

768
00:41:38.559 --> 00:41:41.840
<v Speaker 2>first couple of years really up on it and maintaining everything.

769
00:41:42.400 --> 00:41:45.599
<v Speaker 2>And let's not forget water, because even though most meadows

770
00:41:46.079 --> 00:41:49.039
<v Speaker 2>are going to be very drought tolerant once they are established,

771
00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:51.800
<v Speaker 2>although you can certainly have a wet meadow or a

772
00:41:52.239 --> 00:41:54.719
<v Speaker 2>medium moist meadow. And again, if you're looking to plant

773
00:41:54.719 --> 00:41:56.920
<v Speaker 2>from seed, you can get just the right seed mix

774
00:41:57.079 --> 00:41:59.840
<v Speaker 2>for your actual soil conditions. But many of them are

775
00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:03.320
<v Speaker 2>teller once they're established. But just like any other seedling,

776
00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:06.880
<v Speaker 2>they do want plenty of water while they are getting established,

777
00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:09.800
<v Speaker 2>and you don't want to risk your investment in time

778
00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:13.000
<v Speaker 2>or money by not providing the water that they need

779
00:42:13.239 --> 00:42:18.599
<v Speaker 2>during that really crucial first two to three years of establishment.

780
00:42:19.159 --> 00:42:21.519
<v Speaker 1>Now, as far as plants are concerned, as I mentioned

781
00:42:21.559 --> 00:42:24.840
<v Speaker 1>in segment one, grasses are going to be the backbone,

782
00:42:24.880 --> 00:42:29.599
<v Speaker 1>in my opinion, the foundation, whether it's switch grass or

783
00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:34.119
<v Speaker 1>blue stem or feather reed grass. Many different types of

784
00:42:34.159 --> 00:42:36.920
<v Speaker 1>grasses you can use for plant choices. You can visit

785
00:42:36.960 --> 00:42:40.800
<v Speaker 1>a website we've talked often about Pete Odolph, and his

786
00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:44.199
<v Speaker 1>website will give you the link. Because you go to

787
00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:46.800
<v Speaker 1>that link and visit some of the gardens he's created,

788
00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:50.880
<v Speaker 1>you'll see the various plants that you can use in

789
00:42:50.920 --> 00:42:55.280
<v Speaker 1>your meadow garden. For example, a favorite of mine are

790
00:42:55.320 --> 00:43:03.679
<v Speaker 1>the anemonies, the fall blooming anemonies, just beautiful plants and

791
00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:07.199
<v Speaker 1>they really dance in the breeze along with the grasses.

792
00:43:07.719 --> 00:43:11.679
<v Speaker 1>Of course, Agastaki is going to be very important. Robeccia's

793
00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:16.760
<v Speaker 1>Achinacia's coreopsis. And you'll see that many of these meadow

794
00:43:16.800 --> 00:43:19.000
<v Speaker 1>gardens also use Liatris.

795
00:43:19.400 --> 00:43:22.480
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, I love liatris. That's a plant. I wish

796
00:43:22.480 --> 00:43:24.679
<v Speaker 2>it was a little more drought tolerant because I don't

797
00:43:24.719 --> 00:43:27.079
<v Speaker 2>have a lot of success growing it in my very

798
00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:28.480
<v Speaker 2>drowdy garden. And I do love it.

799
00:43:29.320 --> 00:43:34.159
<v Speaker 1>Asters or Hellennium sneeze wheed another plant that likes wet, wet,

800
00:43:34.599 --> 00:43:36.920
<v Speaker 1>more wet soil exact that I can't get established that

801
00:43:36.920 --> 00:43:39.599
<v Speaker 1>I have tried many times, and I've given up. Globe

802
00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:43.880
<v Speaker 1>thistle not better about it. Don't worry U. Petorium or

803
00:43:43.960 --> 00:43:47.840
<v Speaker 1>joe pie weed. And by the way, there are cultivars

804
00:43:47.880 --> 00:43:51.159
<v Speaker 1>of shorter joe pie weed available now. I think it's

805
00:43:51.199 --> 00:43:52.199
<v Speaker 1>called little Joe.

806
00:43:52.280 --> 00:43:54.239
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, but who wants a short joe pie weed in

807
00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:57.199
<v Speaker 2>their meadow? Give me the ten foot tall stuff?

808
00:43:57.239 --> 00:44:02.519
<v Speaker 1>There you go? Would you put cup plant in? Yeah? Yeah,

809
00:44:02.559 --> 00:44:05.320
<v Speaker 1>So I get my grasses, You get your company, all right.

810
00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:12.159
<v Speaker 1>Veronica alpine sea holly sedum's panicoms as we mentioned Persecaria

811
00:44:12.599 --> 00:44:17.480
<v Speaker 1>minardas within a landscape like this and even and We

812
00:44:17.559 --> 00:44:19.920
<v Speaker 1>talked about it a few weeks ago when we talked

813
00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:23.599
<v Speaker 1>about hibiscus, But what about hibiscus mustudos.

814
00:44:23.639 --> 00:44:25.840
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, if you have a wet meadow, for sure. Yeah,

815
00:44:25.880 --> 00:44:28.079
<v Speaker 2>that would be quite at home in that kind of garden.

816
00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:35.360
<v Speaker 1>In a native plant here in North America, Guerras yarrow, Galardia,

817
00:44:36.280 --> 00:44:39.000
<v Speaker 1>lots and lots of plants to pick from, And like

818
00:44:39.079 --> 00:44:41.400
<v Speaker 1>I said, a favorite for me has got to be

819
00:44:41.760 --> 00:44:44.000
<v Speaker 1>milkweed in a meadow garden definitely.

820
00:44:44.480 --> 00:44:46.679
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I love goa and I do have it in

821
00:44:46.719 --> 00:44:48.800
<v Speaker 2>my garden. But I'm thinking back to a time that

822
00:44:48.840 --> 00:44:51.800
<v Speaker 2>I was visiting the San Antonio Botanical Garden and the

823
00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:55.239
<v Speaker 2>entire entrance it was in spring. The entire entrance was

824
00:44:55.320 --> 00:44:58.119
<v Speaker 2>planted as a meadow like all along kind of the

825
00:44:58.239 --> 00:45:00.800
<v Speaker 2>road and medians, and it was all blue bonnets in

826
00:45:00.880 --> 00:45:03.639
<v Speaker 2>ghara and it was one of the most beautiful combinations

827
00:45:03.719 --> 00:45:07.400
<v Speaker 2>that you could possibly imagine. But yeah, I mean it's

828
00:45:07.440 --> 00:45:12.360
<v Speaker 2>really important to when you're establishing a menu meadow to

829
00:45:12.519 --> 00:45:15.920
<v Speaker 2>not pick plants that you like necessarily, but plants that

830
00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:19.559
<v Speaker 2>can tolerate your conditions because kind of, you know, as

831
00:45:19.679 --> 00:45:26.280
<v Speaker 2>much effort as it is to get that established established, Yeah,

832
00:45:26.360 --> 00:45:27.920
<v Speaker 2>you need to make sure that it is going to

833
00:45:27.960 --> 00:45:31.119
<v Speaker 2>be sustainable for your actual conditions in the long run,

834
00:45:31.119 --> 00:45:34.679
<v Speaker 2>because the goal is really to get your meadow garden

835
00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:37.360
<v Speaker 2>to a point where you are only really mowing it

836
00:45:37.400 --> 00:45:40.639
<v Speaker 2>down maybe once a year in the spring or late winter,

837
00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:43.039
<v Speaker 2>early spring or in the fall, if you prefer, and

838
00:45:43.079 --> 00:45:45.519
<v Speaker 2>then kind of getting all of that cut stuff out

839
00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:48.880
<v Speaker 2>of it, managing any woody plants that have popped up,

840
00:45:48.880 --> 00:45:51.400
<v Speaker 2>so that you're kind of really doing like at one point,

841
00:45:51.480 --> 00:45:54.719
<v Speaker 2>you know, ideally maybe one day of maintenance, but it

842
00:45:54.840 --> 00:45:56.559
<v Speaker 2>is going to take a lot of time to get there,

843
00:45:56.559 --> 00:45:59.199
<v Speaker 2>and you don't want to add extra work on yourself

844
00:45:59.199 --> 00:46:01.480
<v Speaker 2>by having to ear gate it because you have a

845
00:46:01.480 --> 00:46:03.760
<v Speaker 2>wet meadow but dry soil. And I'm saying this for

846
00:46:03.880 --> 00:46:07.320
<v Speaker 2>myself because I personally prefer the look of wet meadows,

847
00:46:07.360 --> 00:46:09.760
<v Speaker 2>but there is nothing in my yard that will ever

848
00:46:09.800 --> 00:46:10.480
<v Speaker 2>be wet meadow.

849
00:46:12.119 --> 00:46:15.360
<v Speaker 1>And Stacey, it'll be interesting when you put in your

850
00:46:15.480 --> 00:46:18.760
<v Speaker 1>meadow garden how many neighbors will follow suit.

851
00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:22.239
<v Speaker 2>Well, Hey, you know, I kind of was a trailblazer

852
00:46:22.239 --> 00:46:26.239
<v Speaker 2>pioneer with my ear removing my lawn and that's the

853
00:46:26.239 --> 00:46:28.840
<v Speaker 2>first step. And I always said when we removed our lawn.

854
00:46:28.840 --> 00:46:30.679
<v Speaker 2>Two years ago, I said, if this doesn't work out,

855
00:46:30.840 --> 00:46:33.079
<v Speaker 2>it becomes a meadow. So we're not there yet, but

856
00:46:33.719 --> 00:46:35.559
<v Speaker 2>it's not gonna lie and say it doesn't appeal to

857
00:46:35.599 --> 00:46:36.239
<v Speaker 2>me here and there.

858
00:46:36.519 --> 00:46:40.159
<v Speaker 1>Fantastic. We'll have fun with your little house on the prairie.

859
00:46:40.239 --> 00:46:42.760
<v Speaker 1>Thank you Stacy, thank you Rick, thank you Adriana, and

860
00:46:42.880 --> 00:46:46.639
<v Speaker 1>thanks to you for watching us on YouTube, downloading our podcast,

861
00:46:46.760 --> 00:46:50.559
<v Speaker 1>or for our radio show listeners. Have yourself a great week.