Grace Miller's Thoughts on Native Plantings for Wildlife

This is a letter from customer, friend and former employee Grace Miller to Donna on 6/20/16. It was written after reading a garden section from Tallahassee Democrat (June 17, 2015) which included 2 articles by Donna "Bring on the Birds: Native shrubs harbor bugs that provide primo protein for our feathered friends" and "Make a Splash with a Well-placed Birdbath". It also included an article entitled, "Coastal properties offer haven for birds" by Sheftall and Lovestrand.

“Dear Donna,

Was it coincidence or a well-planned cohesion which brought together this collection of writings that point out a long overdue way of approaching landscaping practices? Together with your articles and the contribution of Will Sheftall and Erik Lovestrand we must also add Jody’s preceding article on the use of “American” plants.

I have thought about the use of home landscaping to create oases of livability for birds and other wildlife, even before I became acquainted with Native Nurseries’ life work to promote this concept. In the 1960s I submitted a college paper on this subject. However, at the time, I had no concept of native plants versus non-native plants.

The world of native plants did not become revealed to me until the very early 1980s when I was fortunate to discover you, Donna, Jody and Native Nurseries. By the 1990s, under that guidance and influence, my home garden had become a copious collection of native plants - trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals. I took delight in all of them and so did the attendant wildlife, down to the tiniest insect. As I walked through my property I would be acutely aware of the birdsong and the hum of pollinating insects. The gardens were alive with a very special music, a synergistic symphony - Earth Music.

The concept of the use of native plants to host insects to host birds and other wildlife is a valid and valuable idea. It is, in my opinion, the basis for all life, this ecological linkage.

Sincerely,
”

— Grace Miller

In Appreciation of Moths

In our excitement over butterflies, we sometimes forget about the great diversity of other Lepidoptera - the moths that may frequent our yards and gardens. Some of my more interesting experiences with this order of insects have been with the raising of luna moths, cecropia moths, imperial moths and sphinx moths. 

Luna Moths mating.

Did you know that a mated female luna moth will lay approximately 150 eggs, usually high up on the leaves of sweetgum, hickory or pecan? Of those 150 caterpillars who hatch, only about 2 to 3 individuals live long enough to metamorphose into a moth and lay eggs. The other 147 or so become an important part of the food chain. Birds, spiders, wasps and others dine on their valuable protein.

Moth populations have suffered with habitat loss and through the use of pesticides. One thing that we can all do to help is to plant native plants, especially trees, in our yards, school grounds and parks. Why native? Each species of moth is adapted to break down and utilize the chemicals within the leaves of trees with which they have evolved. Luna moths need sweetgum or hickory, regal moths (hickory horn devil caterpillar) need hickory or walnut, rosy maple moths need maple trees and so on. I am not suggesting you plant a sweetgum, but now you can appreciate the one that is growing in your yard! But do plant native oak trees, sassafras, maples, birch, fringe tree, hickory........

Our yards and parks can be an important component of natural, healthy habitat to counteract loss of natural habitat, if we plant a diversity of native plants. We can also remove invasive plants that have invaded our urban and suburban green spaces and replace them with native species. This is such an important ecological issue that the last full week in July has been designated National Moth Week, this year July 23 - 31. It celebrates the beauty, life cycles and habitats of moths.

Visit nationalmothweek.org for more information. Please stop by Native Nurseries to pick up our information sheet, Moths and Their Larval Food Plants.

What to plant in your vegetable garden: Dog Days of Summer

We are in the “dog days’’ of summer here in Tallahasssee, which means we are right in between the two major planting seasons for your vegetable garden: Spring & Fall. It’s typical at this time of year to have a few empty spaces open up in your garden as plants like squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and more, begin to succumb to the oppressive pests and heat.

We often have customers coming in at this time looking for vegetable starts to plant in those spots, but we don’t have any in stock. It’s too hot and wet to keep them healthy in small transplant pots, and our local growers go on their much-needed vacations in summer. Trying to establish tender young veggie transplants in this weather is near impossible. There are however, several options for you to take advantage of that open space. 

Veggies such as bush green beans, southern peas, corn and okra can be directly seeded into your garden. You can even begin to plant Cauliflower, Carrots, Collards, Cucumbers and Onions from seed a little early if you want to give it a try, though we usually wait for August.  

Plant Zinnias or Sunflowers from seed now if you’d like to attract butterflies and provide food for pollinators – they make nice bouquets too! It’s also a good time to pull out your basil that has begun struggle and bloom, and replant it from seed.