The ground is still wet from all the rainfall and the soil is warmed up. The perfect time for planting perennial plants! And there are plenty of opportunities to find the right plants at the many upcoming events. If you are new to gardening here are a few tips:
Buy native
Native plants are plants that belong in our the Northeastern habitat and are therefore most suitable to nourish our Northeastern pollinators.
Ask the vendor
The vendor is there to answer your questions. If the vendor is unable to explain, for example, if their plants are treated with pesticides, you should look elsewhere to buy your plants.
Bring your phone
Not everything can be printed on a small plant label, but luckily every plant can be found on the internet. Growing habits, longevity, ease of growing, pest resistance: just look it up.
Buy Straight Species
Straight species are the original native plants, whose shapes have evolved specifically for certain pollinators. Cultivars are often grown for 'looks.' The flower might be bigger and brighter, but for the pollinators this often means less nectar or pollen. You can tell if a plant is a cultivar by the name in single quotes after the Latin name. For example Echinacea purpurea ‘Pink Double Delight’. Not all cultivars are bad. For example, some cultivars are created to resist a certain fungus or to obtain a longer flowering season.
Not able to make it to any of the plant sales?
For a list of nurseries that sell native plants in our area click here >