April 03, 2024| Education, Environment
By: Laurie Kane
Since 2022, the State Legislature has designated the month of April as New Jersey Native Plants Month to promote the many benefits of native plants and encourage their increased cultivation and care throughout the Garden State.
Native plants provide many benefits to the ecosystem, and will also save you time and money. Because they have adapted to the local environment, native plants are hardier and better equipped than non-natives and ornamentals to withstand harsh conditions like freezing and drought. Native plants reduce surface runoff into the lake, their fibrous roots help to mitigate erosion, and they leech important nutrients back into the soil when they die. Once established, native plants thrive with minimal care. They generally don’t need extra watering, and you can skip the pesticides since they are resistant to common pests and diseases – less work for you and better for the environment!
Though Mother Nature is taking her time to warm things up this spring, the growing season is underway. At the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, we’re thrilled to see some of the native early bloomers returning to our native gardens. Both the Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and the bluebells of Scotland (Campanula rotundifolia) are up. In addition to adding color to our native gardens, these pretty spring ephemerals (plants that emerge quickly in the spring and die back after a short growth period) attract bumblebees, butterflies, moths, and skippers. We invite you to visit our gardens at 125 Landing Road, Landing, to check them out!
A great way to celebrate native plants this April is by planting native trees, shrubs, and perennials, while also taking the necessary steps to remove non-native invasive plants. You can learn more about this topic during our spring program, Replacing invasives with natives for more sustainable landscapes on Thursday, April 25. Find out more and register HERE.
And don't forget, you can order New Jersey native plants for your yard or garden at our annual native plant sale! Online ordering of more than 45 varieties will be available from April 26 through May 2. Order pickup will take place on Saturday, May 4.
While you’re waiting for plants to arrive, now is a great time to cut back dried stems and any spent seed heads. Be sure to leave some leaf debris as certain varieties of butterflies and insects need them. Be careful not to remove your new native seedlings that are now popping up in the garden (always best to let those little ones get bigger if you are not sure).
Happy New Jersey Native Plants Month! Enjoy your plants!
