Ceres
Rabbit Castle / Japanese White Pine Garden
Stock Seed 'Prairie 7' (Perennial)
Outsidepride Lupine 'Russells'
Outsidepride Purple Prairie Clover
Sorghum Sudangrass 'Sweet 6' Dry Stalk BMR
Stock Seed 'Prairie 7' (Perennial)
White Dutch Clover 'Marco Polo' (Perennial)
Alfalfa
Crimson Clover
Stock Seed 'Prairie 7'
White Dutch Clover 'Marco Polo'
Plot definitely lags in growth behind some others. The 2x Japanese White Pines planted in the early summer of 2021 got winter burned pretty bad. Elizabeth's JWP has 60-70% dead needles, while Samuel's is more like 50-60% .. both have completely burned tips & are definitely stressed out. Not much growth & certainly not many pine cones. We have watered very heavily here & set them up in the shade of larger trees... but Minnesota's winter was too harsh last year. As a result, we'll continue with heavy nitrogen ideas to be consumed by the trees for Spring 2023 & hope for the best.
Each tree will be wrapped in burlap in November 2022. We will have to protect the needles/foliage we retain. Hopefully the Prairie 7 can serve as a mild screen as well. Fingers crossed for a thick plot in October/November 2022. We've deployed two counter-measures against wind burn for the JWPs.
We'll be broadcasting Mammoth Red Clover into the plot as a test plot.
Plot is looking very nice. The very first Hairy Vetch flowers are beginning to show as the Virginia Wildrye from the Prairie 7 begins to seed out. Waiting for the Sudangrass & Japanese Millet seedlings to catch up & be identified. Lots of turf grass still in this zone. The wildflower tests & Daikon Radish should all continue growing through the summer & early Fall, but they may be robbed of sunlight by the Prairie 7 .. we'll see.
Lots of strong seedlings at 6-12 inches at this point. Seeing plenty of Hairy Vetch.
Plot will be receiving extra sprinkler water in 30-60 minute bursts due to young tree & bush water requirements.
Decided to try 1/2 cup of Japanese Millet & 1/4 cup of White Dutch Clover over the Main Garden. A few strong colonies of Marco Polo, but I'm not seeing the cool season grasses in the Stock Seed 'Prairie 7'. May need to re-seed Stock Seed 'Prairie 7' in the fall. Not seeing any Alfalfa either. Consider both of these in the next seeding. Saw several Hairy Vetch at 4-6 inches in height, so we have a few crops coming up in the Main Garden. Seeing mainly 6-8 inch tall Daikon Radish around the JWP Rings.
Decided to try a 1/2 cup Hairy Vetch & 1/4 cup Sorghum Sudangrass 'Sweet 6' Dry Stalk BMR broadcast tomorrow to add some variety to this plot. Currently seeing the return of the Stock Seed 'Prairie 7' & White Dutch Clover 'Marco Polo'. This plot needs to focus on plant density & soil development. Grasses & one legume will not be the long-term strategy.
Watch for all the perennial grasses, alfalfa & clover. I would guess that alfalfa will not return & will be pushed out by the 'Prairie 7' tall grass mix. We will only be seeding each JWP's inner ring in 2022 for a nitrogen boost. Main garden is in monitoring-only for 2022.