BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

“I” Is for Indigenous

Spring brings out the crazies, especially in gardeners. We have endured long cold months of gray skies and drab landscapes. When spring finally appears, we are itching to play in the dirt. Complicating this process is the arrival of seed and pant catalogs that, for me, began arriving in January. My wish list grows gargantuan with the arrival of each new catalog.

The beautiful pictures of bright colors and wildly exotic plants call to us and sometimes we are swayed by the siren’s call. We are tempted and often give in to the desire to buy and grow all sorts of plants and trees that are doomed to grow in the climates where we live.

First time home buyers and people new to the area may not know exactly what they can grow. Planting things not indigenous or native to the area can cost you a lot of money and labor.

I still make my list but I pay attention to the US planting zone recommendations and what is indigenous to my area. Indigenous plants are those that are found naturally in your area. You can check with your local extension office if you are unsure. Also pay attention to what your neighbors grow. If you don’t see orange trees growing anywhere, there’s probably a good reason for this. Stick to trees that can handle the climate where you live.

2 comments:

Marie Anne said...

I love oranges, but I don't think I'll be planting any here in Ohio. Perhaps I could get an ornamental for the house.

Theresa Wiza said...

Green thumbs skipped my generation in my family. My father used to plant a gorgeous garden. I have no skill whatsoever in growing or maintaining a garden. The first time I planted tomatoes, rabbits ate ALL of them. The first plant I bought died. Over the years I have discovered that the only thing I can grow with any certainty is an air plant. My current A-Z Challenge blog is http://myheartblogstoyou.blogspot.com/2011/04/living-out-of-suitcases-day-12-from-a-z.html