Native Plants for Home Landscaping

Butterfly Weed

Residential landscaping can greatly improve a property or create a host of problems.

For homeowners, choosing plants for landscaping can be a daunting task.

In many cases, native plants can be good choices for home landscaping projects. Native plants often include trees, shrubs, herbs, wildflowers, grasses, and others.

Native plants have a number of advantages that make them good candidates for home landscaping projects.

Native plants usually require less maintenance than cultured plants. Most need little or no fertilizers, pesticides, or other chemical treatments.

Native plants provide habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. They are especially useful for pollinator gardens.

Some species produce berries and in fall their leaves display an array of colors.

Native plant species can be effective when implementing rain gardens. A variety of species can be planted together to stabilize areas where periodic water flows occur. 

When choosing native plants, several factors must be considered.

Sunlight is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing plants for a landscaping project.

Water is another consideration. In many areas, drought-resistance will be a major factor when choosing plants for landscaping.

Project costs are usually very important. Labor requirements can affect landscaping projects from start to finish.

Native plants can be found at local nurseries, farmers markets, and other sources. They are often available from local and regional non-government agencies such as environmental and conservation groups.

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Vintage Food Posters - World War I

A major part of the World War I effort involved the production and distribution of motivational posters by a variety of U.S. Federal agencies.

This post showcases a sampling of food-related vintage posters from the WWI era. The posters shown here are only a fraction of the many that were produced.

"Sow the Seeds of Victory! Plant and raise your own vegetables. Write to the National War Garden Commission- Washington, D.C., for free books on gardening, canning, and drying. "Every Garden a Munition Plant"

"Liberty Sowing the Seeds of Victory. Write for Free Books to National War Garden Commission, Washington, D.C. Charles Lathrop Pack, President. P.S. Ridsdale, Secretary."

"Food is Ammunition- Don't Waste It"

"Save Sugar by Using Best Louisiana Molasses and Sugar Cane Syrup."

"Eat more corn, oats, and rye products- fish and poultry- fruits, vegetables, and potatoes, Baked, Broiled, and Boiled Foods. Eat less wheat, wheat sugar and fats to save for the army and our allies."

"Patriots Use Corn Meal. It Cannot Be Shipped. It is Splendid Eating. It is Cheaper Than Wheat Flour. It Saves Wheat. Free Recipes Inside. Get Yours. U.S. Food Administration- New York Federal Food Board."

In addition to being works of art, these vintage posters provide insights into culinary trends of the period. They also illustrate how the U.S. government used media to communicate with citizens during World War I. 

Basic Gardening - Planning and Preparation

This post covers some of the basic steps to be considered when implementing a home garden for growing vegetables, fruits, herbs, and other plants.

Prior to the design and construction of garden plots, a number of factors may need to be considered.

When choosing a location, it may be important to consider factors such as sun, drainage, etc. Availability of water and vehicle access may influence location choices.

In some areas, HOA rules or local regulations may also apply to gardens and other landscaping projects.

In some situations, soil tests may be useful prior to beginning a garden plot. A variety of soil tests are available for pH, trace elements, and detection of heavy metals or other pollutants. Soil tests are available from state agencies or commercial service providers.

Once a site is selected, the design process can begin. A number of traditional garden layouts exist that are adaptable to most projects.

After choosing the size and shape of the production area, gardeners can allocate plots to specific crops.

In addition to production plots, space should be allocated for equipment storage, composting, and other needs.

A common practice among beginner gardeners is to till a large plot and overplant. Large garden projects can require considerable labor. As the season progresses, gardeners can suffer burnout caused by unpredictable weather, weeds, pest control, disease, over production, and other issues.

Once the garden layout is resolved, tilling or turning of the soil is usually called for. Tilling is generally done in the spring but only after the soil becomes dry enough to break apart easily. Tilling too early can cause problems, especially in soils with a high clay content.

In many cases, garden soils will need some amount of remediation. Popular additions include liming, traditional pelleted fertilizer, compost, manure, peat moss, sand, or other products.

If raised or ground level beds will be used, those will need to be laid out and pathways created.

Acquiring seeds, seedlings, bulbs, plants, and other will also need to be done. When planting begins, gardeners need to monitor plots for a variety of needs.

Seeds and young plants need frequent care including watering, weeding, and monitoring for insect infestations, diseases, or other problems.

In some areas, animal damage is possible. The list of troublemakers can include dogs, cats, deer, rabbits, rodents, birds, and others.   

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