What Is Gardening?

Gardening  takes many shapes, and includes many styles of caring for plants. There is no right or wrong way to garden.

You do not need a lot of space to garden. You can do it in your backyard or on a window sill – indoors or out.

To F.E.R.N., it is the art and science of caring for plants in a way that relaxes the soul and connects you to nature.

What Does Gardening Look Like?

Whether you are rooting a pothos cutting or cultivating a large outdoor space, gardening looks different for everyone.

The purpose could be anything: for looks, for food, or to benefit nature.

What matters is the semi-regular observation of the plants you care for, which helps you understand and appreciate nature on a deeper level.

One of the Best Ways to Get Started with Gardening

Grow Seeds!

One of the most magical experiences as a gardener is acquiring seeds, planting them, and raising them to mature plant.

Convincing seeds to break their dormancy and germinate, however, can sometimes be the more challenging part, especially with native seeds. 

Starting from Seed is a Great Way to Enjoy the Art

Seeds have a mechanism known as dormancy that helps them resist weather conditions until it’s the right time to sprout.

Like a puzzle, once you crack the code, they will grow!

How Do You Break Dormancy?

Native seeds often have a few special mechanisms built into their seed coat that helps them persist in the ever-changing conditions of New England. Most native seeds have information available online specifying which treatments you need to apply to the seed to get it to sprout (germinate).

Just a quick selection of ways to break dormancy includes:

“Stratification” or cold treatment. Keep seeds in the fridge, or sow them in a seed tray and leave them outside for winter.

“Scarification” or scratching. Rub seeds with sandpaper to scratch the tough seed coat. Larger seeds can be nicked with a scalpel or similar tool.

“Photodormancy” or sunlight treatment. Most commonly needed for seeds that are adapted to prairies and sunny plains. Ensure the seeds are on top of the soil to allow them to absorb enough sunlight.

“Thermodormancy” or heat treatment. Sensitive to temperature, these seeds naturally rely on fire events that open up space and release nutrients. These seeds may need fire, heat, or smoke to successfully germinate.

“Chemodormancy” or acid/chemical treatment. Certain seeds evolved to go through the stomach of an animal before germinating properly, which means they may need acid or another chemical to help them germinate without that ecosystem relationship.

Why Native Plants and Seeds?

Native plants have evolved with New England conditions and wildlife for millions of years, doing the work we wish all our garden plants would do.

Native plants nourish biodiversity. They are adapted to the tough places and conditions we encounter in the environment, all while producing high-quality resources for the fauna and fungi around them.

Native plant roots feed the microbial network below-ground, enhancing soil health. Healthy soil prevents erosion and ensures better porosity for a healthier soil ecosystem.

The shoots, stems, and leaves of the plants are eaten by native invertebrates (such as snails and centipedes) and other wildlife. This provides nutrients these invertebrates specifically need to survive, procreate, and thrive. This also ensures we have bees and butterflies for future generations.

Invertebrates fed by native plants become a food source for birds and other creatures. Meanwhile, the flowers of native plants serve our reliant pollinators – filling our hearts with joy, but also improving the health of our communities and local ecosystem.

As the plants go dormant and “rest” for the winter, leftover stems become places for insects to nest. Leaves become blankets that invertebrates tuck themselves into to protect themselves from harsh temperatures.

The rest of the plant material breaks down, with the help of fungi both above ground and in the soil, which amends the soil for the soil community around them, and for future generations of plants.

It is this connected cycle that makes planting native plants so vital to our natural community.

Great Native Plants to Start With

Have you ever grown a sunflower?

Ornamental and seed producing sunflowers are fun, wonderful, and showy, but did you know we have a few native species of perennial sunflowers?

…Ones that bloom for weeks, can reach heights of 8 feet tall, grow in the shade, and propagate beautifully all while producing gorgeous blooms, great nectar for pollinators. Sunflower pollen has even been shown to help help bumblebees resist infection! (1, 2)

Species we recommend:

• Helianthus giganteus *
  
• Helianthus divaricatus
• Helianthus tuberosus
• Helianthus spp. (Browse in Gobotany)

Have you ever grown mint?

Mint can be a prolific producing plant that sometimes gets out of hand.

What if I told you there’s a native version that is a bit more well behaved with double the benefits?

Many plants are in the mint family, but our two favorites are Monarda (bee balm) and Pycnanthemum (mountain mint)!

Monardas, or bee balms, are tall showy mints that do well in the garden and meadow.

These plants and erupt in white, lavender, purple, and red flowers depending on the species. The flower buds and leaves can be collected for tea.

Pycnanthemum, otherwise known as mountain mint, is a delightful native plant that can be extremely successful in many soil conditions.

In partial or full sun, successful mountain mint will provide a profusion of long lasting flowers.

Species we recommend:

• Monarda spp. (Browse in Gobotany)
• Pycnanthemum spp. (Browse in Gobotany)