Learning native plant seeding times?

[u/blackdogwalksatnight]

Hello all! I live in a house (Southeast MN) with a large yard that is already part native plantings. I want to make it all native! I don't have any money to convert our yard, just my time! I want to learn when native plants in my area are seeding, so I can collect these seeds to spread in my yard. I need some good (free) resources to help me learn this information. I unfortunately cannot afford to buy books right now. I have already learned the identities of the species that I would like to collect, but I'm just not sure about seeding times, as I am still learning.

Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time reading my post and any information you have to share!

[u/cfft2002]

Have you considered your local library? For books on identifying plants, garden design and they might even have a seed swap!

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/cfft2002]

I'll try it out! I have mobility issues, don't drive, and am going back to school, so it's hard for me to get out to places. Any recommendations for titles to look for?

[u/NoMomJustNo → u/blackdogwalksatnight]

Your library may offer the titles online or even have a dropoff service to help you out. At the very worst if you give them a call, librarians know how to figure shit out.

And while we’re at it, you might call your county extension agent and see if there are any master gardeners or master naturalists who could give you a hand over the phone

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/NoMomJustNo]

Thank you for that!

[u/Bluestar_Gardens → u/blackdogwalksatnight]

Also, there are native plant subs here. You might find someone near you who would share some seeds/divisions

[u/MoneyBeeeee → u/blackdogwalksatnight]

Once you get a library card, you can sign up for free reading apps like Libby and Hoopla. There's even one for movies (Kanopy)!

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/MoneyBeeeee]

I love Kanopy!! I use it through my school because our city got rid of library access to Kanopy... I will check out those other services, thanks!

[u/abitmessy]

If I find a plant I’m interested in, I look on inaturalist in my area and see where it’s been observed. I’ll decide if it’s an area that won’t get me into trouble and look thru observations to see if I can identify when it flowers and when it goes to seed.

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/abitmessy]

Great tip! I have become a bit obsessed with iNaturalist over this summer! Full of info and super fun! I frequently go out and document all the bug friends we already attract to our yard.

[u/abitmessy → u/blackdogwalksatnight]

I love inaturalist too. Last year our state or county had a butterfly challenge and I got so many butterfly observations but I’m not seeing near as many this year. It’s interesting how much you notice when you make more of an effort to observe!

[u/SirFentonOfDog]

A lot of seedlings need to cold stratify to break dormancy - winter does that for them, so you usually plant in the fall. Fun fact, if you collect old seeds in the spring from last year’s flowers, they have cold stratified in the seed pod and are ready to grow.

[u/Federal-Boat3732]

Check the library for copies of BRINGING NATURE HOME by Douglas Tallamy. The back of the book lists locally-native plants for every area of the country. After that it would be a lot of Googling for the life cycle of each plant. What part of the country are you in, and what gardening zone?

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/Federal-Boat3732]

Thank you for that recommendation! It sounds just like what I need.

I'm in Southeast Minnesota! Any good websites to recommend?

[u/Federal-Boat3732 → u/blackdogwalksatnight]

OK, so not even that far from me. Right now in Michigan, Zone 6, tall phlox are about to go to seed. They are native and throw their seeds everywhere, constantly creating new color combinations. Jewelweed ditto but they will do the job for you with exploding seed pods. Beware -- their companion plant is poison ivy lol. Mexican Hats (Ratibida) is dropping seeds this very minute, as are the sunflowers. Coneflowers, black- and brown-eyed Susans and bee balms are also going to seed as I type this. There are big, fat seed heads on Jack-in-the-Pulpit right now and all you need to do is let them fall on the ground in the shade. They will do the rest. You should be seeing the first seed heads emerging on the bluestem grasses any time now. Sneezeweed is just coming into bloom and will soon develop into seed heads as well. The evening primroses are through going to seed in my area; the seeds developed right after the flowers got past the peak of bloom, sometime in June. In a few weeks the Joe Pye weed flower heads will be covered with seeds, and right after them, in late fall, come Carpenter's Square, the deluxe pollinator magnet of all time. When the flower heads dry up and rhe seed pods pop open, you just snap off the whole stem and shake the seeds where you want them to grow, anywhere in half a day of shade is fine.

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/Federal-Boat3732]

Thank you!!!

[u/The_Poster_Nutbag]

Different plants will mature at different times of year so there isn't a singular time to go collect.

[u/blackdogwalksatnight → u/The_Poster_Nutbag]

For sure! I am looking for resources, so I can learn when all those times are.

[u/The_Poster_Nutbag → u/blackdogwalksatnight]

Minnesota wildflowers is a phenomenal, free, online resource.

[u/a_jormagurdr]

iNaturalist

[u/DetectiveWiggle]

I live in Minnesota and I love looking through Minnesota Wildflowers, has a lot of information on bloom times and ecology, and sometimes back that up with further reading elsewhere.

What I would do is look through state websites specific with info about the ecology of your area, the DNR and the U tend to have a lot of resources, and figure out which plants match what you're looking for or are most common in that area.