In Minnesota, winter is on it’s way and now is the time to finish up last minute raking, gardening and seeding before the snow and the cold is upon us! I planted a few new plants this fall that I wanted to try in my home garden including; Lady slippers, Ben Lear Cranberry, and Pennsylvania Sedge. I anxiously await their awakening in the spring! Why don’t I ever get tired of this? Every year I can’t wait until the fall, when it is my turn to plant the gardens after a season of helping others plant theirs. I love fall plants with their other pigments revealed or even all brown and withered…yet the roots so vigorous and new, ready to take hold of the earth as the ground begins to freeze and thaw, freeze and thaw freeze and freeze and brrrrr freeze to the depths beyond any shovel or post hole digger. Then of course the wait, yes the wait, seemingly endless, until one day the snow begins to melt and the earth thaws and then warms up again, revealing buds a new….

Now is the time to plan for your fall seeding project. In West Central Minnesota the optimal time for planting native wildflower and grass seeds is after the 15th of October. For more information on site preparation and maintenance schedule go to our “Shop Online” page and click on “Seeding and Planting” If you have any questions, please inquire! Order your seeds online under the “Categories” section and click on “Seeds“.

Please note that your newly purchased native wildflowers and grasses are going into dormancy. Do not be alarmed by their fall color (actually, very pretty), browning tops  or, even, the lack of leaves. This is a normal process for your natives plants. Shorter days, cooler temperatures and a light frost will trigger the slow down of the top growth of these plants. You may notice that the root systems are vigorous and may even appear “root bound”. This is a natural process and very desirable. These plants continue to produce roots, and even accelerates root production, at this time of the year. Don’t be alarmed!  Plant these root plugs.  After the ground freezes,  place 3-4″ of mulch over top to protect them from frost-heaving (Popping out of the ground!). Uncover your natives in the spring to allow the ground to warm up. Most of our native plants love the heat and will start to grow when the ground starts to warms! In Minnesota, watch for them to come up May or early June! Enjoy these remarkable plants!

Fall is a great time for planting your native wildflowers flowers and grasses! You will get a “jump-start” on the spring by doing so!

Send a green gift that will bring enjoyment for years to come!

Morning Sky Greenery offers gift certificates for $10.00 and up. Each certificate is sent with a lovely hand-painted note card with your special message on the inside.