The Very Real Importance of Pollinators Episode IntroductionIn today’s episode, The Very Real Importance of Pollinators, we chat with Jennifer Hopwood and Rae Powers from the Xerces Society about the importance of pollinators in what foods make it to our plate, why European honeybees can't do all of the work, and some ways you can help pollinators at home. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Guest Jennifer HopwoodJennifer Hopwood is Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and is based in Omaha, Nebraska. She has a master's in entomology from the University of Kansas. She provides resources and training for pollinator and beneficial insect habitat management and restoration in a variety of landscapes. Jennifer is co-author of several books, including Farming with Native Beneficial Insects, Farming with Soil Life, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, and a roadside revegetation manual.Guest Rae Powers Rae Powers is a Pollinator Conservation Specialist with The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Rae works with farmers, ranchers, and others to identify wildlife conservation opportunities and promote pollinator and beneficial insect habitat across landscapes through the Natural Resources Conservation Services. She has a master's in plant ecology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has worked in grassland restoration and management and native plant production. Episode SponsorsToday's episode sponsored by Midwest Natives Nursery:https://www.midwestnativesnursery.com/https://www.facebook.com/midwestnativeshttps://www.instagram.com/midwest_natives_nursery/ Today's episode is also sponsored by Lauritzen Gardens:laurtizengardens.orgListen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentPollination 101 Male and...

The Modern Botanist Episode IntroductionIn today’s episode, The Modern Botanist, we examine what modern gardening can look like within the native plants framework, different tools you can use to get “spec’d out” in your gardening abilities, and why it matters more than ever to bring back gardening as part of a healthy lifestyle. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Episode SponsorsToday's episode sponsored by Midwest Natives Nursery:https://www.midwestnativesnursery.com/https://www.facebook.com/midwestnativeshttps://www.instagram.com/midwest_natives_nursery/ Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentGrowing Get nerdy and grow your own plants! Start with a good potting soil. This could be Pro-Mix or a Berger mix or another recommended potting soil. You can even google how to make your own potting soil and mix the components up in a wheelbarrow. It’s fun to experiment!Pre-moisten your soil in a tubtrug or wheelbarrow or 5 gal bucket.Get seed trays: one drain tray (example: 1020 seed starting tray), one cell tray(example 72 cell seed tray,) and humidity domes. Bootstrap Farmer has really good ones: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/collections/plug-trays/products/extra-strength-72-cell-seedling-starter-trayshttps://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/collections/1020-trays-and-flats/products/1020-trays-multi-colorBottom water when your soil starts to get dry so your seedlings don't get washed out. Pack the cell trays with soil. Knead those puppies down.Plant seeds at right depth (per instructions on packet.) Plant two to three seeds in the middle of each cell for best germination. You can cull or up-pot extra seedlings. What I’ve been doing for labels is using my Brother label maker and taking one popsicle stick, place one label at the top for each row and...

Native Edible Plants Part 4: Nuts, Blossoms, and Even More FruitsEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Native Edible Plants Part 4, we chat with Bob Henrickson about survival foods, how to make native Shirley Temples, and which native plant has been used as a spice for centuries. If you don't like rabbit holes, this episode will be a dangerous romp through Gardenland.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Guest Bob Henrickson Bob attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in the School of Natural Resources. Currently, Bob is the Horticulture Program Coordinator with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc., a private, non-profit organization and program of the Nebraska Forest Service. His responsibilities include assisting affiliated arboretum sites with plant collection development and to acquire, propagate and produce native and other resilient landscape plants for plant sales to our members and the public. Bob has hosted a live, call-in gardening talk show called How’s it Growin’ on a community radio station in Lincoln since 2000. He is passionate about native plants, herbs, dried flowers, vegetable gardening, wild mushrooms and wild edible plants. Episode SponsorsToday's episode sponsored by Midwest Natives Nursery:https://www.midwestnativesnursery.com/https://www.facebook.com/midwestnativeshttps://www.instagram.com/midwest_natives_nursery/ Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentWild strawberry- Fragaria virginianaWild strawberry is so very pretty, and I hear from people all the time they have this in their yard. But they are mistaking false strawberry for our native one. The leaves are larger than false strawberry and the small flowers are white and not yellow. Makes a great edible ground cover. Plant with violets for more fun! Early bloomer. Maybe make a sedge meadow with strawberries. Hackberry- one of the earliest plants eaten by humansAn understory tree, you see this everywhere at Lauritzen Gardens, Heron...

The Prairie Herbalist Episode IntroductionIn today's episode, The Prairie Herbalist , we chat with Rachel Liester about food as medicine, the best herbal salve ever, and how you can grow a pharmacy in your garden.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Guest Rachel LiesterRachel Liester is an ethnobotanist, bioregional herbalist, educator, naturalist, writer and photographer. She specializes in prairie plants and has a five-acre herb farm and learning center in northeast Nebraska where she's been teaching about traditional uses of herbs as food and medicine for 30 years. Red Road Herbs Retreat & Learning Center LLC is part of United Plants Saver's Botanical Sanctuary Network, a Certified Wildlife Habitat, a Monarch Waystation and a haven of peace and tranquility where Rachel hosts events, retreats, classes and wild herb walks and encourages visitors to experience Nature's healing touch.Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentRed Road Retreat and Learning Center on the web: http://www.redroadherbs.com/ on Facebook: Red Road Herbs Retreat & Learning Center LLCFacebook Prairie Herbalist Conference- classes and intensives designed to give you the expertise to be an herbalist- in Nebraska, by golly! Let's make it a glamping extravaganza this year. Dates in July. Check the site above!Home Herbalist Program- Growing, Harvesting, and Creating 101Rugel's plantain AKA Plantago rugelii : good for bug bites, eczema., inflammation, trapped thornsStinging nettle AKA Urtica dioica-full of vitamins, minerals, and antihistamines. Consider it a worthy weed and know it's stings are very effective for arthritis pain. Also know it's stinging sensation dissipates once cooked. Sick of hearing about Kay Young's Wild Seasons? If so, you're listening to the wrong podcast.Wild bergamot AKA Monarda fistulosa AKA aswego tea member of mint family mosquito repellant, digestive aid, diaphoretic, and...

In Rebellion Against the Neat and TidyEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, In Rebellion Against the Neat and Tidy, we go over why seemingly perfect gardens are not sustainable and address common garden myths that may prevent you and others from growing native gardenscapes.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentOver-curated, over-groomed, over-mulched gardens are not sustainableWe need to transition from over-consumption to being sustainable producers for our local ecosystems. Let’s make less chemical and plastic waste and save ourselves time and moolah!Mulching is unnatural and so tedious!!! Why do it every year? That’s the definition of insanity! Mulch once- you heard me- just once, and let nature do its thing by injecting in ground covers, sedges, and native grasses to inhibit weeds and create a full landscape.Don’t deadhead, just don’t do it. For a low maitenence garden, know your plants. Don’t overtend them. Wait to cut back perennials until spring. And please for the love of all things Mother Earth, let wild plants go a little wild. “The Green Thumb” isn’t real! And neither is half the other crap we believe.You do not need to be Michael Jordan to play basketball, you don’t have to be some sort of crazy garden-savant to garden. It’s (actual) fake news!!!No, native gardens DON’T require a lot of time and money.Imagine how much time Karen next door expends mowing, mulching, weeding, trimming hedges, fertilizing, watering, and spraying chemicals on a monthly basis. You see where I’m going with this?Also, boxwoods and hydrangeas aren’t cheap. Start small and work from there. Repeat after me: START SMALL. You can always go full-metal-maximalist in a few year’s time. No, native gardens DON’T increase allergy symptoms But that monoculture of allergy-causing turf grass? Public enemy #1No, bees and wasps will NOT sting everyone .They may sting your daughter if she tries to pet their fuzzy little bodies. But mostly they are out to… you guessed it… find other insect prey, nectar, pollen, sleeping places, mating places, among other things that bees and wasps do.No, a native garden...

Softer landingsEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Softer Landings, we chat with Heather Holm, pollinator conservationist and author, about leaf litter, the mighty oak, and what we can do to make more “habitable” habitats in often underutilized understory. Thanks for listening! Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Guest Heather HolmHeather Holm is a pollinator conservationist and award-winning author of four books: Pollinators of Native Plants (2014), Bees (2017), Wasps (2021), and Common Native Bees of the Eastern United States (2022). Both Bees and Wasps have won multiple book awards including the American Horticultural Society Book Award. Heather’s expertise includes the interactions between native pollinators and native plants, and the natural history and biology of native bees and predatory wasps. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune, and many local publications. Heather is a National Honorary Director of Wild Ones and also serves on the boards of several non-profits: Friends of Cullen Nature Preserve and Bird Sanctuary and Friends of Minnetonka Parks.Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentVisit Heather’s site and get pollinator educated!Heather’s site: www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com you will find lots of amazing stuff and lose about 3 hours of your day! You’re welcome!Soft landings: https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com/softlandings.html Keystone plants: what does that even mean?Heather’s free handout on keystone plants! https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com/uploads/1/3/9/1/13913231/softlandingskeystonehandout.pdfSome native plants have significant interactions with the food web. In...

Native Edible Plants Part 3: Nuts, Blossoms, and FruitsEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Native Edible Plants Part 3: Nuts, Blossoms, and Fruits, we chat with Bob Henrickson from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum about rabbit holes, unripe black walnut liqueur and even more native plants to add to your edible garden.  Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Guest Bob HenricksonBob Henrickson attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in the School of Natural Resources. Currently, Bob is the Horticulture Program Coordinator with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc., a private, non-profit organization and program of the Nebraska Forest Service. Bob is also a Nebraska Certified Nurseryman and a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Bob has hosted a live, call-in gardening talk show called How’s it Growin’ on a community radio station in Lincoln since 2000. He is passionate about native plants, herbs, dried flowers, vegetable gardening, wild mushrooms, and wild edible plants.Thank you, Bob, for providing some rich and interesting content for this episode!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentNative American Ethnobotany I again gleaned some info from Daniel Moerman’s Native American Ethnobotany https://amzn.to/3tdCLK7 This is a great tome that may be an inspiring winter time read. Just be prepared to tuck in for a good long while. NSA needs your membership!Check them out at plantnebraska.org. Just last year, 15 schools were given free gardens and over 45,000 plants, shrubs, and trees were put in the ground. Pretty impressive! Definitely worthy of your support!NOW TO THE PLANTS!American Hazelnut Corylus americana - nutmeats Iroquois used nutmeats crushed and mixed with bread, hominy, mashed potatoes. Ponca, Winnebago, and Omaha tribes used as a body for soup.Tough plant, great for songbird nesting, early fall color, sweet little catkins in spring. Look up Kay Young’s hazelnut cake recipe. Multi-season plant if there ever was one. Shagbark hickory Carya ovata- nutsNutmeats were mixed into bread crushed or whole a lot like American hazelnut but I read several...

Fall in Love with Native PlantsEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Fall in Love with Native Plants, we go over why not to neglect the three season garden and the many native perennials and grasses you can incorporate for fall interest. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentI've gleaned a lot of today's fun insect info from Heather Holm's book Pollinators of Native Plants: https://amzn.to/3ZyEK85Stay tuned because she's on the podcast this October. Asters  New England asterCome one come all bees, butterflies, and moths!Host plant for pearl crescent butterflyCaters to specialist Andrea mining beeNectar source for small carpenter bees, leaf cutter bees, bumblebees, green sweat beesNectar source for arcigera flower mothNectar source for buckeye and crescent butterflies Nectar and pollen for syrphid flies, soldier beetlesBeautiful color, nice tall aster for a moist area of your gardenAlso: heath asterLooks like a snowy blanket in bloom or if crowded around other tall plants, like snow covered branches reaching upGrowth habit from 1 foot to 3 feet, two completely different habits depending on what’s nearbyOther utility long lived aster, suited for dry, tough areas silky asterLooks very delicate, grows around things, very wispy and ethereal Growth habit up to 1 foot and a half  heartleaf asterLooks heart shaped leaves periwinkle flowersGrowth habit up to 3 feet, likes to show up everywhere and you will let it smooth blue asterLooks bluish purple with blue green leaves Growth habit shrubby but open Late season nectar forage YES!Host plant status crescent butterflies  sky blue asterLooks another pale purple aster, very similar to smooth asterGrowth habit up to 3 feet  aromatic asterTrue to its name another pale purple aster up to 2 feet, popular one the rabbits don’t seem to eat. Tall boneset Looks tall with tight clustered fireworks of white, stout, doesn’t need much support, dense Growth habit up

Patience, Mistakes, and #gardengoalsEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Patience, Mistakes, and #gardengoals, we go over common mistakes beginner and even intermediate gardeners can make; the virtues of serenity, patience, and open-mindedness in the garden; and how your best-laid plans can come true.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode Content#gardengoalsDon't be rigidDo have funDon't fall on the sword of perfectionismDon't worry about every little weedDo think about what your spaces to beDo be thoughtfulDo make a plan, but don't be afraid to deviate from itFailures are the star-stuff dreams are made ofYou know how we are all just leftover particles from dead stars?The very beginning of human knowledge is screwing up, or at the very least, understanding how things work. Failure= Understanding Success We can also acknowledge beautiful things unfolding from devastating realties. Waxing philosophical now...That being said there may be mistakes you'd like to avoid altogether:Mistake #1: All planning and no action. Don't plan stuff out and then not do it. Don't do that to yourself, it's not nice.Don't panic! We can help you think of ideas! https://bellevuenativeplants.org Bellevue Native Plant SocietyYou can take Monarch Gardens classes https://www.monarchgard.com/classes.htmlPrairie Moon has some layouts to get you started: https://www.prairiemoon.com/PDF/2020-Prairie-Moon-Nursery.Garden-Kit-Layout-Suggestion_WEB.pdfMistake #2: Ignoring the house front. The front of your house should be the first place you look to make a statement about natural spaces and it's likely the one you frequent the most. Just remember: Use cues to care

Native Edible Plants Part Two: Vegetables, Alliums, and GreensEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Native Edible Plants Part Two, we go over some benefits of homegrown food, what native prairie plants make interesting and excellent veggies, some extra benefits these plants provide.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the moniker Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.Guest Bob HenricksonBob Henrickson attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in the School of Natural Resources. Currently, Bob is the Horticulture Program Coordinator with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc., a private, non-profit organization and program of the Nebraska Forest Service. Bob is also a Nebraska Certified Nurseryman and a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Bob has hosted a live, call-in gardening talk show called How’s it Growin’ on a community radio station in Lincoln since 2000. He is passionate about native plants, herbs, dried flowers, vegetable gardening, wild mushrooms and wild edible plants.Thank you, Bob, for providing some rich and interesting content for this episode!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via PatreonThe Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentWhy shouldn’t we leave food to supermarkets?There are many benefits to growing native Nebraska plants for food:Look at the reasons we list for part one! https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fm/episode/native-edible-plants-part-one-wildflower-teasThousands of miles away vs. front porchNative foods are edible AND tasty AND are likely not at your supermarketLamb's QuartersRelated to quinoa, lamb's quarters are a forager’s superfood! This is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Tender leaves can be boiled like spinach or eaten raw as a green. Usually this one is weeded out, but maybe we all make a designated space for it and reap the wealth! Wilts quickly so put it in a cooler of ice immediately after harvesting.Bob is again asking you to read Wild Seasons by Kay YoungLook up Creamed Lamb’s Quarters with Mushrooms. This article by Bob https://hles.unl.edu/weed-em-eat-em. Or roast it with sunflower oil. Just let it have a corner of your...

Prairies, Pragmatism, and Pollinators- Discussing Prairie Up with Benjamin VogtEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Prairies, Pragmatism, and Pollinators, we chat with Benjamin Vogt of Monarch Gardens about reconciliation ecology, the humble dandelion, and messy landscapes. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Benjamin VogtBenjamin Vogt is owner of the prairie-inspired design firm Monarch Gardens. He is author of the best-selling books A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future, as well as Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design. Benjamin's design work has been featured in The American Gardener, Dwell, Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Midwest Living, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Through his business he offers a variety of resources such as consulting, design, online classes, webinars, garden guides, articles, and more. Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentThe new book of Benjamin's we talk about:Benjamin Vogt- Prairie Up https://amzn.to/3EVZRHEFollow Milk The Weed on FacebookMake America prairie again- or at the very least feel good as that phrase floats through your brain.Milk The Weed https://www.facebook.com/MonarchGardensLLCBringing the Prairie HomeBringing Nature Home- An idea championed by Tallamy that we can make hyper-local. Can we really bring the prairie home? No. But we can embrace the echo of what's been lost. Metal...Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy https://amzn.to/3LGZmFgWhy did it take people so long to care about native plants?Ben promises we won't regret reading his other book A New Garden Ethic: https://amzn.to/3PY3jIeBut mostly people suck (we see gardens as ours but they are shared spaces!)Plant attributesHabit, lifespan, wildlife support, bloom time, etc. etc. Think of how these qualities will work together, not just in and of themselves. Floral fidelityBees have an easier go when you plant in masses and drifts. Help a...

Native Edible Plants Part One: Wildflower TeasEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Native Edible Plants Part One: Wildflower Teas, we go over some benefits of homegrown food, what native prairie plants make interesting and excellent herbal teas, some extra benefits these plants provide.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the moniker Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Bob HenricksonBob Henrickson attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in the School of Natural Resources. Currently, Bob is the Horticulture Program Coordinator with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc., a private, non-profit organization and program of the Nebraska Forest Service. Bob is also a Nebraska Certified Nurseryman and a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Bob has hosted a live, call-in gardening talk show called How’s it Growin’ on a community radio station in Lincoln since 2000. He is passionate about native plants, herbs, dried flowers, vegetable gardening, wild mushrooms and wild edible plants.Thank you, Bob, for providing some rich and interesting content for this episode!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentWhy should Nebraskans grow food at home? Can't we just eat corn and hamburgers and guzzle it down with our favorite sugary death trap?There are many benefits to growing native Nebraska plants for food:Access to foods high in nutrition valueWide range of food options from diversely planted gardens give us rich diversity in dietOther health benefits of native plantsFurthering the food movementEndless ForageFreeGathering feels earnedAlso (we didn't mentioned this in the episode but should have,) food gathered at home is FRESH. It hasn't been picked underripe, packaged, and shipped thousands of miles to you. It's the original farm-to-table.Bob wants you to read Wild Seasons by Kay YoungJust go read it.Harvest tea plants in their bud and flower stage, preferably under a full moon. Apparently, the moon energy that causes ocean tides also has an effect on plant potency. Makes sense and also makes us sound like druids.Tea plants! Because who doesn't like fancy home-brewed wildflower tea?Achillea Millefolium AKA Common or Western YarrowBob says this tea isn't...

Demystifying the Native Shade GardenEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, Demystifying the Native Shade Garden, we go over why we don't need to rely on exotics for these spaces and some native Nebraska plant choices you can inject for some habitat value and beauty in low light areas. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the moniker Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentGo back and catch up on old episodes-PLEASE PLEASE listen to Episode 1 if you haven't already which gives you a primer on what native plants even are, link hereDon't use exotic standbys for shade, go native!Does the American garden need more hydrangeas, hostas, exotic ferns, lamium, astilbe, lily of the valley? No! While this is basically all that was available to the consumer for decades, it is not the truth (at all!) of what can be grown in totality here in the Midwest. Native plant gardens create habitat!Say it with us: back-yard-con-serv-ation. Exotic plants are:expensive- require teams to engineer and zhuzhfreakishly small- but seriously why is everything 2 feet or underalien in terms of form and color- double coneflowers? all the colors of the rainbow? yeah, probably not good for pollinators. WHAT YOU CAN PLANT IN FULL SHADE (not a complete list, just ideas people)Snakeroot- wild and delicate (just like my daughter,) white blooms, found in the wild virtually everywhere hereAmerican Columbine- sweet little red and yellow bell shaped flowers, attracts hummingbirdspoke milkweed- yes, a shade milkweed for monarchs!sweet Joe pye- tall, gorgeous, fragrant, unusual (like my husband)wild blue phlox divaricata- amazing blue in nature, graceful, looks good everywherethe Solomon's- (Solomon's seal, Solomon's plume, starry Solomon's plume) tasteful, traditional looking, will not offend your nana's sensibilitieswild garlic- sweet and unassuming native allium, allium canadensegoldenrods- zig zag goldenrod, elm leaf goldenrod, regionally native blue stemmed goldenrod; at the end of the day you really can't have too many goldenrodsasters- heart leaf aster(you really won't regret planting this one,) Drummond's astermint- wild...

THE DIY PRAIRIE GARDENEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, The DIY Prairie Garden, we go over a short breakdown of what a prairie is, some unique medicinal and edible qualities of native prairie plants, how to site prep, and what plants and grasses to use in your very own meadowscape.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the moniker Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentGo back and catch up on old episodes-PLEASE PLEASE listen to Episode 1 if you haven't already which gives you a primer on what native plants even are, link here-Episode 2 is also helpful link hereUnderstand that a prairie is an ecosystem, one that we've killed offLike the idea of a wildflower meadow? We do too. And Nebraska was naturally a wildflower meadow before the Waltons, Big Ag, and developers had their way. Something like 99% of the original prairie is gone. Very sad deal, and a compelling reason to ditch your lawn for native plants. Not all prairies are created equalDifferent ecoregions, different plants. See hereIn short, you have: tall grass prairie, shortgrass prairie, mixed grass prairie depending on geography and subdivisions of mesic prairie, dry prairie, and wet prairie depending on elevation and nearby proximity to water.Also, prairie ecosystems extend into Colorado, Minnesota, south towards Texas, or even further east into Indiana. There's plants that have residency in different parts of this range and what's wonderful is we can have uniquely beautiful and beneficial Nebraska gardens and what that looks like in Scottsbluff, Lincoln, and Omaha can have slight differences between them. Our focus: Tallgrass Prairie I am obviously bias, hailing from the Omaha area. But you can find links to shortgrass and mixed grass ideas here:Some of the inspiration for today's chat on tallgrass prairie: UNL publication

Our Wierd Relationship with InsectsEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode, we chat with Chris Helzer, director of science for the Nature Conservancy about our misconceptions surrounding bugs, some fascinating examples of bees, beetles, et al., and why we should merge beauty and utility in our gardens. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the moniker Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Chris HelzerChris Helzer is Director of Science for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska, where he conducts research and evaluates prairie management and restoration work. He is also dedicated to raising awareness about the value of prairies through his photography, writing and presentations. Chris is author of The Prairie Ecologist blog, and two books: The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States and Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter. He is also a frequent contributor to NEBRASKAland magazine and other publications.  Chris and his family live in Aurora, Nebraska.Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentChris' photography -Check it out here:  https://prairieecologist.com/Land ManagementWe need to be responsible stewards. Every landscape needs management to be its most efficient, especially since us humans have introduced invasive species to habitats. Land management people use tools like fire and methods to remove these invasive species to keep the land healthy.Bug TerrorOnly a few species round here are truly dangerous- think brown recluse, ticks, or disease carrying mosquitos. But Chris is really trying to let you know- they aren't out to get you. It's not all about you. I'm looking at you, Babs.Should sci-fi writers keep depicting aliens as insect-like?When we learn more about insects and we learn to tolerate them better, they stop being alien and they start being fascinating.Is it a bad characterization to label insects as either beneficial or pests?Yes! This is not only lazy but giving very incomplete info. Are we strictly divided into pools of bad and good people? No, of course not!Bugs are bugs. They are diverse and they provide diverse functions. Ignorance is why people want to file things into black and white categories. Don't be ignorant, Babs, it's not a good look for...

Native Gardens, Happy Soil, and a Green FutureEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode we interview Dr. Tyler Moore, associate professor of biology at Bellevue University and President of Green Bellevue about how native gardens influence microbial soil communities, carbon sequestration, the photosynthesis you might have forgotten about since grade school, and your mother-in-law's turf grass. Come hang out with us as we talk some science. Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the name Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Dr. Tyler MooreTyler is a professor of biology at Bellevue University and current president of Green Bellevue. He received his bachelors degree in biology and his PhD in microbiology and molecular biology from UNL. He also completed a post -doctorate fellowship at the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease.At BU, Tyler, students, and other faculty are using a recently-installed 10,000 square-foot native plant meadow to study how native plants contribute to campus biodiversity and to study adaptations of invertebrates in natural settings.He has co-authored many academic papers and his recent research we are talking about today is studying how native gardens impact the soil microbial community.Thank you, Tyler, for helping us provide some great content in today's talk!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentBackground for this chat:-The Academic Paper : Baldi, D.S., Humphrey, C.E., Kyndt, J.A. et al. Native plant gardens support more microbial diversity and higher relative abundance of potentially beneficial taxa compared to adjacent turf grass lawns. Urban Ecosyst (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01325-5-Read an article about it here!Tyler's photography hobby-Check it out here:  https://www.natureamongus.com/ Green Bellevuechampioning various green initiatives in Bellevue such as zero waste and increasing native habitatSequencingIt all sounds very science-y and beyond me but so very...

Let's Talk Some Midwest NativesEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode we interview Nathan Duffy, owner of Midwest Natives Nursery in Lincoln and dive into what native plants are low maintenance, what cold stratification is, his take on the native plants dialogue, and more!Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the name Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Nathan DuffyNathan is the owner of Midwest Natives Nursery, a production and retail greenhouse operation in Lincoln, Nebraska that specializes in the sustainable cultivation of Great Plains-native perennial wildflowers and grasses. Nathan attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where he graduated with a degree in Horticulture in 2018. Having become fascinated with native pollinators and wildflowers during his studies but noticing a lack of availability of such plants at local garden centers, he felt compelled to put his talents to good use and founded Midwest Natives Nursery that same year in order to share his passion and vision with the community. Thank you, Nathan, for helping us provide some great content in today's talk!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentMidwest Natives Nursery-only native plants, no cultivars-a local, truly full-scale nursery with only occasional plant stock acquired elsewhere Why regionally native?State boundaries are arbitrary. Regionally is locally in many respects.Why doesn't Nathan sell more fall stuff?A lot of plants need colder temps to germinate. Spring plants often sell out and to have more for fall, it all has to be regrown again from seed. Now you know...Cold stratification? That sounds like something super science-y. A lot of seeds need certain conditions, like cold (winter) conditions, to germinate. Thus, throwing those babies in a wet, coffee filter and then a single-use plastic baggie we assure you we will reuse many, many times. Boiling, soaking, planting in milk jugs: us plant nerds know how to have fun. Find some detailed germination guides at www.prairiemoon.com. We want more than 300+ kinds of plants, Nathan. What gives?Nathan assures us he is going to try to produce woodland spring...

Native Plants-Not Just A "Spring Affair"Episode IntroductionIn today's episode we chat with Bob Henrickson, the horticultural program coordinator for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum about upcoming events, his picks for a rain garden, historical uses of prairie plants, and much, much more. We're excited to share this with you. Thanks for listening.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the name Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Bob HenricksonBob Henrickson attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in the School of Natural Resources. Currently, Bob is the Horticulture Program Coordinator with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc., a private, non-profit organization and program of the Nebraska Forest Service. Bob is also a Nebraska Certified Nurseryman and a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Bob has hosted a live, call-in gardening talk show called How’s it Growin’ on a community radio station in Lincoln since 2000. He is passionate about native plants, herbs, dried flowers, vegetable gardening, wild mushrooms and wild edible plants.Thank you, Bob, for providing some rich and interesting content for this episode!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentNebraska Statewide Arboretum- Find them herePurchase Details/Sale Dates: Click here to view the calendar TIX here Spring Affair Preview Party and Public Sale April 27th-29th Omaha Extension Office Appearance May 13th 9am-12 pm Fontenelle Forest Appearance June 17th 9am-12pmHow's it Growin? Radio Show-https://kzum.org/howsitgrowin/ Prairie 3 Mix: Little Bluestem, Blue Grama, and Side Oats Grama- A good baseline for your habitat soundscapeAggressive Plants:When we say something is aggressive, that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to plant them. Just know that they excel at domination. Some we brought up today: partridge pea, Jerusalem artichoke,...

The Legacy of PrairiesEpisode IntroductionIn today's episode we chat with Dr. Kay Kottas, the president and owner of Prairie Legacy, a Nebraska- based native plant nursery and consulting company. We discuss some great prairie plants to add to the garden, why prairies are important, and what you can do to help further the native plants dialog. Thanks for joining us!Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the name Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Guest Dr. Kay KottasOur esteemed guest for today is Dr. Kay Kottas, President of the Nebraska Native Plant Society.  She is also owner and President of Prairie Legacy Inc, a botanical consulting company providing environmental surveys and supplying native local ecotype plants and seed. Kay has a Doctoral degree from the University of Nebraska where she completed demographic research on Nebraska’s Federally endangered Blowout Penstemon. She taught North American Plant identification and horticulture at UNL and Botany at Nebraska Wesleyan prior to purchasing the family farm, Witt’s End Homestead , settled by her ancestors in 1857.  Today, she has converted the homestead into a native plant and seed production nursery.  She continues to travel the state where surveys and analysis of native land is needed to help determine restoration guidelines and management needs.  Kay is Chair of the Nebraska Native Seed & Plant Producers, a group committed to helping people preserve the ecological integrity of local ecoregions by providing seed, plants and information related to native prairie. Thank you, Kay, for providing some rich and interesting content for this episode!Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon Episode ContentNebraska Native Plant Society- Find them on Facebook herePrairie Legacy- https://prairielegacyinc.com/Purchase Details/Sale Dates:Order Online! Get a discount up through April by typing in the promotion code spring15. Fast shipping in a few business days by USPSDates in Lincoln: Weekly deliveries to Lucky Dog Acres, Return of the Thunderbirds 4/1, Earth Day 4/15Omaha delivery date late April, possibly in attendance at Mulhall's Wild Plant Party this yearShortgrass and Tallgrass Prairies: Apparently just because it's called a tall...

What Are Native Plants Anyway?Episode IntroductionIn today's episode we break down what makes a plant native, why to grow them, where to source them for your garden, and where you can learn more about planting native.Host Stephanie BarelmanStephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a freelance garden designer under the name Victory Cottage Gardens, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast. Listen, rate, and subscribe!Get some merch! https://plant-native-nebraska.myspreadshop.com/Find us on FacebookVisit our homepage https://plant-native-nebraska.captivate.fmGive us a review on Podchaser! www.podchaser.com/PlantNativeNebraskaSupport My Work via Patreon The Plant Native Nebraska podcast can be found on the podcast app of your choice.Episode ContentWhat makes a plant native?http://bonap.net/fieldmaps Biota of North America North American Plant Atlas database-select Nebraska https://bellevuenativeplants.org Bellevue Native Plant Societyhttps://www.prairienursery.comhttps://www.prairiemoonnursery.comnative (wild type) vs. nativar/native cultivar (cultivated by humans for desirable characteristics)On the WebBONAP aforementionedBNPS aforementionedhttp://www.facebook.com/groups/bellevuenativeplantsociety- BNPS on Facebook Books & Authors*Please note* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Rick Darke- The Living Landscape https://amzn.to/3EYx8lKDouglas Tallamy- Professor and Chair of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Entomology at the University of Delaware, author of The Living Landscape, Nature's Best Hope, naturalist, and curator of "Homegrown National Park". Link to Nature's Best Hope book here: https://amzn.to/3RGInqvEnrique Salmon- Iwigara https://amzn.to/3LFPrQpDaniel Moerman -Native American Ethnobotany https://amzn.to/3tdCLK7 Heather Holm- https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.comNative Plants of the Midwest-