Fall is a great time to plant your prairie grasses and flowers. Smooth Phlox, Wild Petunia, Blue Vervain, and Wild Bergamot are just a few that are native to Wisconsin. These seeds need exposure to cold, damp conditions for better germination rates. Most of these flowers and grass seeds have a built-in dormancy that need to be exposed to the cold conditions for a specific amount of time. Once the soil starts to warm up in the spring the seed will know it is okay to germinate.
Early fall is also a good time to transplant your trilliums, bloodroot, Virginia bluebells, etc. By planting them early in the fall, this give the plants enough time to establish their roots for a head start come spring. Before the snow flies a good tip is to cover your early-blooming spring ephemerals with a few inches of straw.
Watch for the Forest County Land Conservation Plant Sale. Coming soon!
Conservation Corner,
Cassidy Neilitz, Land Conservationist-Land Information/GIS Technician at 715-478-1387 or by e-mail at .