Native plants offer a wide variety of benefits for your landscape and gardens. Native plants are defined as those that occur naturally in a given area, and were not introduced by people. Because they have been adapting to the specific conditions of their location over the years, they are often in symbiotic relationships with the other wildlife that occurs in the area. This gives them a tremendous advantage over those plants that are brought in from the outside because they are known to support the local ecosystem.

Natives are also well adapted to the moisture, soils and weather in a given area. This means they will require less intensive care than plants acclimated to different growing conditions.

Planting Natives

When planning out your garden beds, it’s important to be sure you prepare them for your new plants. To begin a new bed, it is recommended that it is roto-tilled first to kill the existing plants. Be sure to consider your spacing carefully and place larger plants near the back of the bed and smaller plants closer to the front.

Be sure to plant your natives soon after you get them. Watering will likely be necessary for a short time after planting, but once they are established they will likely only need supplemental watering in dry periods. Be sure to pull out weeds in the area before they can outcompete your natives. Practices like mulching can help limit the impact of weeds while protecting the roots of the native plants.

Natives can likely be found in a nursery near you, or shipped right to your door. The Jackson Conservation District hosts a native plant sale every year. Orders are typically due in March.