Maintaining Wild Tips
by Besa Schweitzer, chapter member
Can’t tell the weed seeds from the seeds you planted? Check out this Grow Native! resource.
https://grownative.org/learn/seeds/
Instead of buying mulch every year, try growing green mulch, meaning that the ground is completely covered in living plants. Weeds will not grow when there is no bare ground for seeds to germinate. Native groundcovers can be used as a green mulch to prevent weed growth, stop erosion, and naturally cover the soil without applying mulch each year.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/missouri-native-ground-covers
In early May, monarch butterflies arrive and lay eggs on newly emerged milkweed. When the monarch caterpillars are plentiful, they may eat milkweed plants to the ground. Established plants will bounce back from defoliation with new leaves and growth in time for blooming. Freshly planted milkweed may need to be protected from caterpillars by moving herbivores to an older plant of the same species.
https://monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/monarch-habitat
We have all picked up a few new plants recently at all the native plant sales around town. I like to gradually acclimate my new plants to my garden by keeping them protected from drying winds and sun scorch. I keep them in their pots a week or so in the shade near the water hose so that I can water them daily and keep an eye on them. Planting just before a rain storm coming through is the best chance for new babies. Once they go into the ground, I still need to check on them and water them regularly for the first year until they can establish their root systems.
Water new transplants and newly planted shrubs and trees unless rainfall is abundant. The first summer a plant is in the ground it is important to have regular moisture while root systems are established.
https://besaschweitzer.wixsite.com/growswild/post/how-to-water-a-native-garden
Prune winter-damaged branches on shrubs or trees that have not begun to grow by May.
https://besaschweitzer.wixsite.com/growswild/post/spring-chores-in-the-garden
https://grownative.org/learn/
Instead of buying mulch every year, try growing green mulch, meaning that the ground is completely covered in living plants. Weeds will not grow when there is no bare ground for seeds to germinate. Native groundcovers can be used as a green mulch to prevent weed growth, stop erosion, and naturally cover the soil without applying mulch each year.
https://www.
In early May, monarch butterflies arrive and lay eggs on newly emerged milkweed. When the monarch caterpillars are plentiful, they may eat milkweed plants to the ground. Established plants will bounce back from defoliation with new leaves and growth in time for blooming. Freshly planted milkweed may need to be protected from caterpillars by moving herbivores to an older plant of the same species.
https://monarchjointventure.
We have all picked up a few new plants recently at all the native plant sales around town. I like to gradually acclimate my new plants to my garden by keeping them protected from drying winds and sun scorch. I keep them in their pots a week or so in the shade near the water hose so that I can water them daily and keep an eye on them. Planting just before a rain storm coming through is the best chance for new babies. Once they go into the ground, I still need to check on them and water them regularly for the first year until they can establish their root systems.
Water new transplants and newly planted shrubs and trees unless rainfall is abundant. The first summer a plant is in the ground it is important to have regular moisture while root systems are established.
https://besaschweitzer.
Prune winter-damaged branches on shrubs or trees that have not begun to grow by May.
https://besaschweitzer.
About our new Maintaining Wild series:
To help you keep up with your native garden care in 2026 we’re posting a maintenance tip each week on our website and on Facebook. These tips will include native garden specific tasks as well as some basic gardening advice.
A new tip will appear weekly on Facebook, on Friday at 1 pm.
To join the discussion, comment on our Facebook page.
Stay tuned for a new garden maintenance tip each week to help get you out into the garden and make 2026 a year for Maintaining Wild. Let’s have a discussion and share our knowledge!
View all tips on a single page: https://stlwildones.org/maintaining-wild-tips/
