Research Projects
Native Plant Demonstration Gardens at PFCA
Period: March 1, 2019 - Present
Contact: Prairie Fork
Organization: University of Missouri Prairie Fork Trust
Funding Source: PFCA
Objectives: 1. Project Title: Native Plant Demonstration Gardens at PFCA.
2. Project Principle Investigator/educator: Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, PhD.
3. Institution and/or Affiliation: Native Plant Specialist-Educator member of the MO Native Plants Society since 1999, of the MPF since 2010 and Grow Native since 2012. Director of former Native Plants Program in Cooperative Extension at Lincoln University and owner of Native Plants and More since 2017. More than 20 years’ experience in various topics of native plants research including native cool season grasses and legumes. Experience in outreach and education working with minority populations and others to promote native plants in conservation for pollinators and other wildlife and for their value-added potential for food and as ornamentals.
4. Relationship of the proposal to the long-term goals of PFCA: This is a project that supports conservation and education efforts at PFCA to increase knowledge about native plants. By creating, enhancing and maintaining gardens with prairie, wetland and woodland vegetation visitors have the opportunity to learn about species growing outdoors at the PFCA in accessible settings. The target group is youth, but the project is open to educators, students, native plants enthusiasts, Edward Jones visitors, neighbors and others.
Project description.
Title of project: Native Plant Demonstration Gardens at PFCA.
Principal investigator: Nadia Navarrete-Tindall
Team members: Volunteers: Jamie Coe, Randy Tindall, Jody Stotsky and Kittie Rogers and Sue Bartelette.
Statement of overall and specific objectives: The main objective is rehabilitate and improve existing garden species for education purposes.
Specific objectives:
1. Monitor and enhance 5 existing gardens and add interpretative signage.
2. Develop a descriptive brochure of gardens for students and visitors.
Justification.
• These gardens can be used as hands-on education tools to help teachers, students and visitors learn about native plants at PFCA in a very accessible setting.
• To facilitate teaching about native plants by grouping them in gardens.
• To teach students and other visitors about the importance of creating habitat for native pollinators and butterflies including those that are host plants for butterflies.
• Provide native plant alternatives to replace invasive plants.
Expected benefits and outcomes
a. Significance of the project
• Easily accessible gardens will offer more opportunities to learn firsthand about native vegetation naturally growing at PFCA, including prairie, wetland and woodland species.
• These gardens provide opportunities to individuals with physical disabilities.
• Gardens may provide research ideas about native plants and wildlife associated with them.
• Visitors will learn how to adapt native plants in their own yards, places of business or farms.
• Test various native plants as wildlife deterrent to protect native plants from damage.
• Test native plants with potential as ornamentals for landscapers and horticulturists.
• Test edible native plants that perform well in gardens.
Background and rationale. In 2018 Preliminary work was done as follows: 1. Enhancement of existing gardens (office garden and milkweed garden by pavilion) and creation of new gardens (a prairie garden toward and two woodland gardens). 2. Control of invasive non-native vegetation and native aggressive vegetation in all these sites. 3. Some interpretive signs were added to identify species, including forbs, grasses, shrubs and trees. Information about their importance of pollinators, birds and other wildlife was included in some. The gardens are of various sizes and shapes. In addition, a native plant nursery of grasses, forbs and woody species was initiated. Some plants propagated were established in gardens. Also, various focal areas were selected to increase diversity and do group plantings of selected species. In 2019, gardens were expanded and enhanced. Please see attached report documents for details.
Methodology
a. Objectives:
1. Monitor and enhance 7 existing gardens or beds and add interpretative signage.
2. Develop a descriptive brochure of gardens for students and visitors.
b. Procedures.
Objective 1. Determine survival of 2019 plantings and update list of species of existing gardens see diagrams and map attached in report. Enhance plantings by continuing to eliminate non-natives, reducing aggressive natives and adding new native species. Protect gardens from deer and rabbit damage. Use mulch as necessary. Add signs for individual species, including trees. This objective will be accomplished with funding from PFCA. Compost and organic fertilizer will be added if necessary.
Objective 2. Develop brochure with location of gardens, garden diagrams, list of plants, photos and general information. This will be a coordinated effort with volunteers. Brochure will be available online.
b. Analytical procedures. Native plant survival, persistence, growth and development will be evaluated in mid spring and mid-summer in 2020. Observations on plant damage caused by rodents or deer will be done. Plants do not performing well in certain sites will be moved to more suitable locations.
Schedule and duration
This project is expected to continue for approximately 3 years. 2019 was the first year of this project. By the end of 2021 the gardens should only require about half of the current expense and labor to maintain.
Information transfer Principal investigator will continue submitting monthly articles to the local newsletter ‘Williamsburg Villager’, published by the owner of Crane Store. Publish posts in Facebook and submit articles to local Native Plant Society and Audubon.
List of previous research funded by PFCA, and associated products.
Principal investigator conducted two research projects between 2001 and 2007. The first project was to evaluate the quail cover bundle at PFCA and in 2 farms. The QCB consisted of 5 native woody species and brambles (False wild indigo –Amorpha fruticosa, fragrant sumac-Rhus aromatica, smooth or green dogwood-Cornus spp., blackberry-Rubus spp. and wild plum-Prunus americana. The main goal was to evaluate their establishment and resilience. At the end of the project, the best performer was false wild indigo which showed a wide range of adaptation and good response to heavy pruning and competition with other vegetation.
The second project was conducted in 3 wooded areas at PFCA with the purpose of increasing native plant diversity in woodlands by controlling bush honeysuckle. At the end of the 3-year project, preliminary results showed that by reducing bush honeysuckle, the existing understory vegetation increased. In addition to these two projects, with the help of Jamie Coe principal investigator was involved in establishing native vegetation within the area of some of the existing gardens. During this period, an educational overnight event with 40 Latina girl scouts was done. They were introduced to native plants and birds with the participation of former MDC ornithologist Brad Jacobs. Girls and adults accompanying them participated in a native planting that is still present. Principal investigator participated at the PFCA Earth Day Festival in April in 3 instances, first representing the University of Missouri and later representing the former Lincoln University Native Plants Program.
References
1. Carver, G.W. 1910. Nature study & gardening for rural schools. Experiment Station
Bulletin no. 12. Tuskegee University, Alabama.
2. Carver, G.W. 1917. Forty-three ways to save the wild plum. Experiment Station
Bulletin no.34, Tuskegee University, Alabama.
3. Darke, R. and D. Tallamy. 2014. The living landscape. Designing for beauty and biodiversity in the home garden. 392 p.
4. Davit, C, 2001. Make a Milkweed Bracelet. MO. Conservationist 2001(03) on Feb. 11
2010 from website:http://mdc.mogov/kids/out-in/2001/03/1.hdm
5. Denison, E. 2008. Missouri wildflowers. Aquatic plants of Missouri. Missouri
Department of Conservation. Jefferson City, Missouri. .
6. Fernald, M.L. and A.C. Kinsey. 1958. Edible wild plants of Eastern United States.
Harper and Brothers, Publishers. New York.
7. Jackson D. L. and L. L. Jackson Ed. 2002. The farm as natural habitat. Reconnecting
food systems with ecosystems. Island Press. Washington.D.C.
8. Jordan, N.R. 2002. Sustaining production with biodiversity. In: The farm as natural
habitat. Jackson D. L. and L. L. Jackson Ed. 2002.
9. Kindscher, K. 1987. Edible wild plants of the prairie. An ethnobotanical guide.
University Press of Kansas. Lawrence, Kansas.
10. Kurz, D. 1999. Ozark wildflowers. The Globe Pequet Press. 262 p.
11. Kurz, D. 2009. Shrubs and woody vines of Missouri. Field guide. Missouri
Department of Conservation. 152 p.
12. Ladd, D. 1995 Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers. Falcon Publishing, Inc. Helena,
Montana. 199 p.
13. Mader, E. et. al. 2016. 100 Plants to feed the bees. Storey publishing. The Xerces Society. 240 p.
14. Mader, E. at. al. 2011. Attracting native pollinators. Xerces Society. Storey publishing. 371 p.
15. Tallamy, D. W. 2007. Bringing nature home. Timber Press. Portland. Winne, M. 2008.
16. Thomas, E. and P. A. Dykeman. 1982. Edible wild plants. Sterling Publishing. 286 p.
17. Tylka, D. 2002. Native landscaping for wildlife and people. MDC.182 p.
18. Whitley, J. 1990. Aquatic plants of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation.
Jefferson City, Missouri.
Progress Report/January 12, 2020
Project: Native Plants Demonstration Gardens at PFCA. Prepared by Nadia Navarrete-Tindall
Overall objective: Monitor and enhance existing gardens.
Activities:
1. In late winter and early summer, gardens were cleaned from old stems and excess leaves to allow plant new growth to develop well. Survival was assessed in the spring, summer and fall. About 90% of plants survived and develop well. About 10% were damaged or eaten by rabbits or deer.
2. In November and December gardens were visited twice a month to check on them.
3. Gardens were enhanced by planting in groupings to facilitate survival and identification.
Mulch was used only around recently established plants to protect pollinators’ habitat.
4. Plants that did not develop well in a particular site were replaced or move to other locations where they would perform better.
5. New plantings or replacements were done all year, except during the hottest months July and August. Watering was done in a few sites to assure survival of new plantings.
6. Non-native, invasive species and some aggressive native species were controlled to protect target native plants. Unwanted vegetation was mostly removed by hand. Herbicide was used to control grasses, invasive species or volunteer trees.
7. Signs with photos, scientific and common name of some species established were made and placed in gardens with the help of volunteers.
8. Native plants were purchased from local nurseries mostly from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery or grown in the nursery maintained by garden manager.
9. Lists of plants and diagrams for each garden were completed.
10. Cages made with chicken wire were built and placed in gardens to protect plants from further damage from rabbits and deer.
11. Ten articles about plants, especially some of Pat Jones’ favorites were published in the local newspaper ‘Williamsburg Villager’.
List of articles is as follows:
1. January: Brightening your garden in winter with wahoo.
2. February: Growing elderberries for wildlife, food and maybe for profit.
3. March: Kentucky coffee tree, a native tree for farms and urban landscaping.
4. April: Spring wildflowers can brighten rainy days: Remembering Pat Jones.
5. May: Red buckeye, a natural hummingbird feeder.
6. July: Monarch butterflies need help from all of us!.
7. August: Native Mountain Mints: Good for us, good for pollinators!
8. September: The American persimmon, from cookies to wine.
9. October: Spicebush, an Aromatic Native Edible for People and Pollinators.
10. November: Crunchy and Healthy Sunchokes aka Jerusalem artichoke.
Volunteers and additional help
Eight volunteers helped weeding, planting, mulching, placing signs and monitoring plants. They are Kittie Rogers and friend, Sue Bartelette, Jeromia Riley, Andria Caruthers, MG-Kathleen Metter, Randy Tindall and Jamie Coe. The budget was used to cover travel expenses, lunch and some hours. Jamie Coe gathered woody material and made ‘stepping stones’ to outline/protect gardens. Landscape designer Sue Bartelette drew diagrams of gardens and offered ideas about landscaping. Randy Tindall assisted with editing and provided pictures for articles.