How to convert cool-season lawn into native plantings

Peter Arnold, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Arnold Classic Farms

David N. Bellangue, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Jenna Beville, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Forrest Brown, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Dillon P. Golding, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Hoot Owl Hollow Farm, Woodlawn, VA

Joseph D. House, Indiana Army National Guard

J. Leighton Reid, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Jonathan O. C. Kubesch, Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Arnold Classic Farms, Country Home Farms, Pembroke, VA, Kentucky Native Plant Society

The majority of turf and pasture species in Kentucky are cool-season species from the Old World. In suburban yards, these species might include Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus). These grasses rose to prominence because they tolerate the mowing, fertilization, and usage regimes of most pastures and yards. Weekend games and parties in the backyard are hard on the soil surface, and thick sods can reduce soil erosion.

Cool-season lawns have limitations. In many yards, the amount of foot traffic doesn’t justify maintaining a thick green lawn. Fertilizer, gas, and mower repair might be money better spent on other activities around the house. Additionally, intensively managed lawns can add pollutants into the wider environment. Finally, while all grasses produce wind-pollinated flowers, these flowers do not necessarily support the pollinators in decline across eastern North America.

More people are eager to convert lawns and pastures to native species, primarily wildflowers, grasses, and small woody plants. These native plantings can replace traditional garden beds, take up dedicated areas, or even replace the entire backyard lawn. Native plantings reintroduce native species back into suburban areas. These native plantings provide a great introduction to our natural heritage for young children as well as a proving ground for restoration of natural plant communities at larger scales.

How do we convert cool-season lawn and pasture into native plantings? Cool-season grasses tolerate a fair deal of abuse, which can make them challenging to kill. A stepwise planning and planting process can help with killing lawns as well as planting native species. A fair deal of technical and popular literature is available to help guide interested homeowners and landowners to make the switch, but here’s a quick guide to help frame your conversion.

Step 1. Assess the site and set your goals for the planting

Site assessment should precede any action. Without an idea of the resources, site condition, or a plan, a native planting is less likely to succeed in meeting your goals. This assessment should consist of a soil test and a composition assessment. Soil testing should be in accordance with guidelines from the University of Kentucky soil testing lab. The routine soil test can determine basic soil fertility, and the organic matter test can decide whether additional amendments, such as compost or straw or wood mulch, are required.

Jonathan Kubesch soil sampling at the Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center (Steeles Tavern, VA) on March 27, 2021. Photo credit: David Bellangue.

If such amendments are added, please consider the Carbon to Nitrogen (C:N) ratio. Carbon will tie up nitrogen making it unavailable to the plants, meaning additional nitrogen will be necessary to ensure proper microbial breakdown of amendments and proper growth for the plants. Plant species need to be selected based on soil acidity.

Most American lawns are a mixture of cool-season grasses, introduced legumes, and native as well as non-native broadleaf forbs. Getting an idea of the yard composition can be as simple as walking the yard and at 100 points determining the plants nearest to a boot tip. This step point method is quick and effective. This assessment does not need to be overly formal: grass, clover, and broadleaf weeds. This initial composition can determine the efficacy of different conversion strategies.

Homeowners Associations and other regulatory bodies may not like how these stands look, especially considering that most native plants are not subject to regular, short mowing. Be as pragmatic as possible, not fanciful. Evaluate your situation and act in the most effective way to meet your goals. These organizations could be persuaded to be more supportive of these actions if the yard can advance conservation, environmentalism, and biodiversity protection. After confirming approval, native plantings should be planned appropriately.

Goals for native plants depend on what you expect from your site. Producing native blooms for pollinators might favor a semi-natural wildflower bed, whereas a meadow mix might be more appropriate for wildlife. A native lawn may not be a possibility right away, but native areas with walking paths or native beds might be a great way to move toward a wilder yard.

A general plant community is a great way to frame a native bed or area in the yard, and here are a few questions to help you get started:

  • Will this plant community be grassy, flowery, or woody?
  • Are there any priority species for your area?
  • Will the area be a series of managed beds, or a semi-natural meadow with walking paths?
  • Are trees and woody plants part of the native planting?
  • Is shade a factor of the area?
  • Will you need to consider how much light is needed for desired native plants?

Increasing the diversity of species in the planting can improve plant growth and competition against weeds, as well as reduce pest pressure. Native plants come with different management requirements than cool-season grasses and limitations. These species grow from March to November and then go dormant, leaving brown stubble. Native turfs are being evaluated in the eastern USA, but low-growing western natives are not necessarily native to Kentucky nor do these species compete well with weeds when water isn’t limited.

If you’re seeking to create a landscape similar to what existed pre-settlement, consider using regional plant and seed suppliers, and ask Kentucky Native Plant Society officers about what might work in your geography. Consider building a plant community that might resist extreme climatic events.

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Clarks Rivers NWR Buffalo Clover (Trifolium reflexum) evaluation and conservation

Jonathan O.C. Kubesch*, Kelly Winklelpleck*, Connor Doyle*, Lindsey Barbini*, John H. Fike*, and Michael Johnson**

*Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

**Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge

Summary

Buffalo clover (Trifolium reflexum) is a true native clover of eastern U.S. provenance. Previous research suggests that buffalo clover has seed yields and weights similar to introduced clover species (making it suitable for increase). However, such research is limited, with little comparison of plant material from across the northern range of the species. In fact, there is overrepresentation of southern accessions from Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida. This overrepresentation stems from historical seed collections coming from Coastal Plain collections. In order to better represent accessions from the northern range of the species (both in current research and for future studies), this project sought to 1) conduct a comparison of buffalo clover accessions from across the range against red clover (T. pretense); and 2) bank seed from the Clarks River population for use in conservation and research. Plants were grown from seed to seed and studied in a common garden experiment with efforts taken to maintain genetic purity. Seed was then banked with the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative. Variability in phenotypes across the lifecycle were observed among northern and southern buffalo clover accessions, which suggests that the species complex has further structural variance. Southern accessions required less time to bloom and flowered without vernalization. Clarks River plant material has not yet flowered and appears to require vernalization.

Introduction

The native clovers of eastern North America are relics of the complex mosaic landscapes present prior to European settlement (Gillett and Taylor, 2001). Of these species, buffalo clover is an annual to biennial species with known morphological and reproductive variability (Vincent, 2001).

Kentucky clover (T. kentuckiense) is a recent addition to the flora (Chapel and Vincent, 2013). Species delimitation between Kentucky and buffalo clover has been determined using primarily floral characteristics; however, vegetative characters in a common garden experiment might further resolve the relationships within the species complex.

Previous work with Kentucky clover and running buffalo clover in greenhouse and field research suggest that these native species face fewer propagation challenges in comparison to other rare plants (Kubesch, 2018; Kubesch 2020). Historically, Dr. Norman Taylor at the University of Kentucky maintained all 3 clovers native to Kentucky in greenhouse collections (Kubesch, 2018; Daniel Boone, personal communication).

The objectives of this project were to collect seed from the northern edge of the buffalo clover range and compare buffalo to Kentucky clover. It was hypothesized that Kentucky clover would be more morphologically similar to buffalo clover accessions from Kentucky and Ohio than to accessions from the Coastal Plain.

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KNPS 2022 Fall Meeting provides information and community

By Kristin Bailey Wilson

Everybody needs family. Biological relationships aren’t necessary, but we humans need groups who are like us. Or, if not entirely like us, then others interested or concerned with the same things we are. Community. 

Boardwalk. Photo by Kristin Bailey Wilson

In search of community

When I joined Kentucky Native Plant Society, I wasn’t sure what would come of it, but I knew I needed human relationships formed because of a common interest in native plants. I had been planting and reading about natives for several years, but humans need to chit chat. I was looking for a human community, so I signed up for the fall meeting at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park with the hopes of finding some people with which to chat, and I did. 

When I left home that morning, Solidago altissima was blooming in yellow waves along a fencerow that my husband and I make a point not to mow regularly. It’s the Solidago that I think of — always. Altissima announces the beginning of fall as it starts to bloom. On our property it grows thick and tall, some as tall as I am – 5’ 7”. 

I don’t live in the bluegrass region, so when I think of Kentucky goldenrod, it’s altissima that comes to mind. For me, our native flower is the emblem of our state, the goldenrod state. I’ve taken dozens of pictures of bees and butterflies landing, napping, and feeding on Solidago altissima, but I hadn’t heard of Solidago shortii. A discussion of it was on the agenda, and I was curious to know more.

Workshop 1: Solidago shortii by Dr. Carol Baskin

Dr. Carol Baskin, a plant ecologist at the University of Kentucky, was the first speaker, and she described her many years of work on Solidago shortii. It’s shorter than altissima, but that’s not where the name derives. Rather, shortii is named for Dr. Charles Wilkins Short who found the plant on a limestone outcropping called Rock Island in the Falls of the Ohio River. 

Although it’s not known how shortii came to Blue Licks, several people in attendance speculated that it may have come as seeds on the coat and hooves of bison. Because shorty’s range is so small, it’s federally endangered. It grows on rocky and shallow soil, often near old crop fields. 

Solidago Shortii. Photo: Kristin Bailey Wilson.

You can distinguish Shortii from altissima by its smooth leaves and smaller growth habit. It doesn’t compete well with altissima because it’s shorter and has fewer leaves, but underground, it has a larger biomass than altissima, so shortii is more drought tolerant than altissima. As Dr. Baskin spoke, I whispered with my neighbors, comparing what surprised us or interested us about this Solidago that we were all looking forward to meeting in person.

Workshop 2: Controlling native areas by Jess Slade

The second presenter was Jess Slade, Native Plants Collection Manager at the UK Arboretum. Jess talked about using fire, chemical, and woman-with-loppers to eliminate invasive non-native species and encourage the growth of native species. 

She described the areas designated for improvement. After burning the existent non-native grasses, the team simply waited to see what remained in the seed bank. As non-native invasive species came up, they dug them or treated them chemically. When the natives emerged, they stepped carefully and gratefully. Protecting the natives and eliminating the invasives is the work in a nutshell. 

Finding community

After lunch, we took two plant walks. This is when community matters. The walks were the talks in action. As soon as we began, our entire group was milling around, heads-down, touching goldenrod leaves to identify shortii. When an identification was confirmed by Hedi or Jess, others would touch and discuss things such as biomass, blooms, location, and on and on. This was the chit chat I had been looking for. 

Short’s Goldenrod and Short’s Aster. Photo: Kristin Bailey Wilson.

As we walked, Dr. Baskin’s points about shortii and competition were brought to life by the many other natives and non-natives that crowded around shortii. The picture to the left shows Short’s Aster, among other natives, crowding a Solidago shortii in the foreground. It all seems so clear when you’re sitting in a hotel conference room, but in the field, the many other plants and the varying sizes of plants confuse the issues. It was great to have experts on hand to identify species and place the talking points in the field. 

In addition to shortii, the trails were full of other natives, like frost’s aster, sneezeweed, short’s aster, New England aster, thistle, and ironweed. We walked and talked plants. We also talked vocations, kids, and spouses. The weather was perfect for a fall walk, cool but not cold. 

Hedi and Jess also identified Gentiana alba and purple gentian, and we lined up to look and take pictures. These were flowers I would not have been able to identify without their help, and they were beautiful to behold. 

The education and training in botany, land management, and ecology were on display as we listened to the experts describe what we were seeing and what it means. But botany alone will not be enough to draw people to plants. Humans need family and community. As more and more Kentuckians, concerned about climate change; decreasing butterfly and insect populations; and supporting a wider diversity of plants in their yards, they’ll seek out community, a plant family, just as I did, and they’ll find it with the Kentucky Native Plant Society. 

Kristin Bailey Wilson, Ph.D., has served as a professor, an academic dean, and a chief academic officer. After nearly 30 years in higher education, she is spending her time in her garden…with her camera and her cat.

Save the Date! The 2023 Kentucky Botanical Symposium (virtual) – January 26, 2023

Coming Together to Discuss Current Botany Projects, Conservation, and Collaboration in Kentucky and Beyond

Missouri Ironweed (Vernonia missurica), West Kentucky WMA, McCracken Co., July 29, 2022

KNPS will be hosting our annual, virtual, Botanical Symposium on Thursday, January 26th, from 9AM-11:30PM EST. For several years, KNPS has organized a botanical symposium in the fall/winter with a goal of bringing together professionals, citizen scientists, academics, gardeners and students in order to learn about what’s going on in the world of Kentucky Botany. Everyone interested in the native plants of Kentucky is welcome to watch the Symposium and there is no charge for this event. The Symposium will be recorded and will be made available online if you are unable to attend.

We are currently working on lining up presenters and developing the topics for the Symposium. Watch The Lady Slipper for details as they become available. In the meantime, you might want to watch the presentations from the 2020 Botanical Symposium and the 2021 Botanical Symposium. If you have any questions, shoot us an email at KYPlants@knps.org

Save the Date! KNPS Wildflower Weekend 2023 – April 14th-16th, 2023

Save the Date! April 14th-16th, 2023 at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

Cumberland Falls. Photo: H. Braunreiter

Exciting news! Next year’s KNPS Wildflower Weekend date has been set for April 14th – 16th, 2023! For over 30 years, Kentucky Native Plant Society has partnered with Natural Bridge State Resort Park to offer guided hikes to explore Kentucky’s rich natural history and resources in the Red River Gorge. This coming year, Kentucky State Parks has offered to host our annual Wildflower Weekend at another of Kentucky’s beautiful state parks: Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. We are excited to hike new trails, see new wildflowers, and increase access to this event for members in a different part of the state. We hope you will join us and other nature lovers, families, community scientists, amateur naturalists, and professional botanists from across the Commonwealth, to explore the beauty and diversity of our native plants in April.

The event will include guided hikes through beautiful natural areas throughout the weekend, a Friday evening Friends & Members Social, and Saturday evening presentations.

The week prior to Wildflower Weekend, KNPS will be hosting our third annual week-long state-wide BotanyBlitz on iNaturalist from April 8th-15th. This week-long BotanyBlitz allows us to broaden our spring wildflower scope to the entire state of Kentucky and allows us to highlight natural areas across the commonwealth! If you work/volunteer at a natural area in Kentucky and would like to partner with us to host an iNaturalist hike at your site to kick off the BotanyBlitz week, please send an email to: WildflowerWeekend2023@knps.org

Also, if you would like to get involved and help plan this event, please contact: WildflowerWeekend2023@knps.org

To learn more information about Cumberland Falls SRP, click here.

President’s Message – November, 2022

Jeff Nelson
KNPS President 2022-2024

Carolina spiderlily (Hymenocalis caroliniana) at Ballard WMA on 8/12/22. Photo courtesy of Pat Berla.

I hope this message finds you all well. As we move into late fall, Kentucky remains in drought conditions, with most of the state in moderate to severe drought. Down here in the Jackson Purchase we have had no significant rainfall since early July. As devastating as drought is to agriculture and gardens, the response of our native plants and plant communities to these conditions can be quite instructive. In low, moist, woodland communities, such as can be found in the Ohio River floodplains, the shady soils retained enough moisture, well into September, for most native species to continue to grow and bloom. On a visit to Ballard WMA in mid-August for example, we saw several native species in bloom, including the spectacular Carolina spiderlily (Hymenocalis caroliniana, syn. H. occcidentalis).

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KNPS Fall Meeting – Oct. 15, Blue Licks Battlefield SRP

Short’s goldenrod (Solidago shortii) – Tom Barnes

Join with other KNPS members and friends for our first, in-person fall meeting since 2019. Our 2022 Fall Meeting will be held at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park on Saturday, October 15th. There will be a meeting in the morning, from 10am-noon, with interesting talks and updates from KNPS, and walks in the afternoon to look at some of the plants and plant communities that occur at the state park. The fall meeting will be held in tandem with the Short’s Goldenrod Festival being put on by the state park.

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