Springtime for ponds will bring about opportunities to make new memories with family and friends around your pond. But did you experience issues with various plants last year that you may have forgotten about? Some plants you might see this spring/summer include:

Watermeal – Green floating granular plant

Duckweed – Small, lobed floating green plant with a tiny root

Cattails – Green in the summer and brown in the winter extending above the waterline

Phragmite – Similar to cattails but seed heads are feather shaped while cattails resemble corn dogs

Broadlead Watermilfoil – Submerged leaves are finely dissected and cause the shoot to resemble to form of a raccoon tail, whereas leaves on the emergent bracts tend to be smaller and appear only in summer.

All these plants have the potential to provide feeding, loafing, and protective cover opportunities for waterfowl, fish and other mammals. But like so many other things they can become a nuisance, reduce plant biodiversity, create hypoxic zones and need to be controlled. Things like watermeal, duckweed and cattails should be treated in the early spring if they were an issue for your pond last year. All aquatic plants can be controlled with aquatic herbicides. If they become too prolific and for the cases where herbicides are ineffective, you may need to consider mechanical removal of the plants. These are just a few of the common pond plants found in Ohio and any aquatic herbicide that you use needs to have their directions followed exactly as the label specifies. Deviation from the product directions can cause unwanted and potentially harmful results.

Landscaping Woes: Problem Plants and How to Handle Them

Plants like multiflora rose, grapevine, poison ivy, poison hemlock and garlic mustard weed can have some wildlife benefit but can do more harm than good. Multiflora rose, with its white flowers and thorns, while providing habitat for wildlife can prove to be a nuisance around your property. It can be easily controlled with pruning, mowing, or herbicide application. Grapevine and poison ivy can provide wildlife with a food source but can be detrimental to people who are sensitive to oils and particulate matter from poison ivy. Vines can be detrimental to trees in inclement weather by providing additional, unnecessary weight and instability. These vines can be easily cut and sprayed with the appropriate herbicides to control them. Garlic mustard, when found, is best if it is pulled and placed onto a hard surface to dry out then disposed of in the trash.

The most prolific undesirable plant that citizens see and call us about is Poison Hemlock. The main stem of this plant is green with a whitish fuzzy look to it when it is young. Its leaves resemble that of a carrot, but this is not edible (1). As the plant matures the main stem will become hollow and have green and purplish splotches with a glaucous coating over it (2). This plant will also have a flower head that appears yellow (3) when the flowers are not unfurled revealing a white (4) flower. If you suspect that you may have an adverse reaction to any plant or its parts, it is highly recommended that you take the appropriate precautions to protect yourself. If you plan on controlling any of these or other plants with mechanical or herbicide measures please read and understand the tools that you will be using for optimal results. For best results overall, undesirable plants are best controlled before they begin to flower and have the ability to spread seed. These plants can be found commonly in low lying wet areas where standing water is common. Many plants will re-sprout where you saw them last year so early removal, before they have a flower head on them, is crucial.

What is a Sub Irrigated Planter (SIP) and How Do They Work?

• According to Al Gracian “Gardening with sub-irrigation is the process of watering plants from below the soil line. Through capillary action, the water then slowly rises upwards.”
• Wikipedia defines capillary action as “the process of liquid flowing in a narrow space without the assistance of external forces like gravity”. 
• Sub irrigated planters consist of a watertight container with a water reservoir, air chamber and peat-based potting mix. You can also utilize a filling tube for easy watering and an overflow drain to ensure the planter doesn’t become water-logged.
• These planters can be used indoors or outdoors. Users can buy retail models or build one themselves!

Sub Irrigated Planter Benefits

• Sub irrigated planters can be used in conjunction with a rain barrel collection system to self-water and provide even more storage after each rain event. This is totally free water that plants love.
• Having a built-in water storage reservoir helps these planters resist times of drought.
• A water-level gauge can be installed to help you see how much water the planter needs. This assists with water consumption because you’re only using the amount of water that the plants need.
• Planters can be used over top of impervious areas (hard surfaces) that would otherwise be rendered useless for growing crops. This helps the urban gardeners reclaim their land as the planter can be placed just about anywhere.

Crops that Grow Well in a SIP

• Annual plants perform very well in a sub irrigated planter. These plants grow for a short time but require a large amount of moisture to thrive.
• Examples Include: Peppers, tomatoes, ground cherries, watermelon, corn, zucchini, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, kale, spinach, lettuce, arugula, radishes, carrots, parsnips, basil, parsley, dill and many other annual plants!

Learn More: http://albopepper.com/sip_expectations.php & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action

A thoughtfully considered prairie planting is one of the most beautiful sites to see come spring. When you are planning your prairie planting, you want to keep diversity in mind. Diversity in height, bloom time, species, lifecycle, structure and location are key to planning a successful habitat. Native grasses vary from 3 feet to as much as 10 feet tall. Native forbs (or wildflowers) also vary greatly in height but also in bloom time, color, shape and size. I mentioned in my first habitat article that ensuring we have species growing in each bloom time frame is the best way to adequately support wildlife and pollinators.

The early spring bloom window is the most challenging time frame to capture om a prairie planting. Well-behaved, non-native clovers are often included in planting mixes in conjunction with some natives like golden alexander, foxglove beard tongue and some coreopsis species. This window can be supported by planting pollinator/ wildlife friendly trees and shrubs that bloom earlier than herbaceous species, act as boundaries between properties and provide additional cover and forage. Wildlife friendly choices can include American plum, oaks, maples, red osier/ flowering dogwood, spice bush, American hazelnut, crab apple, native willows, pines and more.

The peak summer bloom window is the easiest to hit, as most of our native species bloom from June to August. Some of my favorites are cardinal flower, bee balm, blue vervain and mountain mint, which is also a hit with honeybees (trust me). The late bloom window is dominated by goldenrods and asters, which are essential for supporting migrating or hibernating pollinators and wildlife.

At least three species in each bloom window are encouraged, though more is always better. Species that host native pollinators, like milkweed, should also be included. Plant life cycles are also important to consider. Perennials and biennials will persist through the life span of the prairie planting, but that’s not to say annuals should be left out. Annuals are great to include in mixes, especially during the first growing season as perennials are working on their complex root systems and very little growth happens above ground. Annuals give you something pretty to look at and can re-seed themselves for several years, especially in well managed and maintained stands.

Grassland birds and other wildlife species depend on diverse grasslands. Often the wildflower component is overlooked and only grasses are considered good habitat. Yes, our native grasses and their long seed heads are great forage products for wildlife, and conducive to chick mobility, brood rearing, and nesting. However, forbs are what attract the invertebrates that make up a huge portion of birds’ diets.

It is essential to consider continued management when planning your planting. Prescribed fire is one of the best tools available for maintaining early successional habitat. If you’re planning on utilizing it as a tool in your planting, planning burn breaks is essential. Burn breaks are strips of low-lying vegetation, or bare ground, that maintain moisture, green cover, or a lack of cover through much of the year. Clovers fit the bill perfectly. If burn maintenance is something you want to implement but didn’t plan burn breaks into an already established prairie, repeated tillage can achieve a similar result prior to a burn being implemented.

Site conditions are also important to consider when planning a prairie. Upland sites are some of the best locations for planting prairies, however low land/ wet sites can also be successful. Choosing species that suit drainage, sunlight, and soil properties is essential. What does your surrounding habitat lack? Are there gaps you could fill? Are there enough forbs? Too many grasses? This is where things can be fun and very specific to your site. If you’re considering planting a native prairie on your property, please reach out and we can start planning!