I have this very small patch of land I’m now required to take care of. Pictures are of last summer when we took over, how over grown it was and I just trimmed it all. I would love to turn it into a pollinator paradise. But will have to pay for everything. So I’m tryna ball on a budget, hah.
Wondering if I need to kill the grass before I try planting things? So far I have a bunch of black eyed Susan seeds ready to go but not sure where to go from there.
Any advice or help is much appreciated!
Omaha Nebraska, zone 6A
by Apprehensive-Tank675
2 Comments
Looks like a prime spot for solarization. That means covering it *tightly* with heavy plastic (clear works best) and letting all of the grass compost for a few months. The grass will break down and the soil will loosen and when you remove the plastic it will be ready to plant. I assume you have summer rain in Nebraska, so there are likely lots of things that you can get away with planting in midsummer. I’m no expert on plants that work in that zone, but I’d look for reliable perennials and self-sowing annuals that are native to your area.
Hello from Des Moines! Not the exact zones but similar. Do you have FB? I wouldn’t be shocked if Omaha had an outdoor plants rehoming group, I’m in one and there’s always folks thinning out their hardy wildflowers and leaving them on the curb for free. I’ve gotten some good plants this way!
Also if you’re willing to wait, checking garden stores like Lowes/Home Depot, mid summer will put some potted perennials on sale if they’re “leftover” or have bloomed already. You’ll just have to water them heavily mid summer to keep those roots growing, but I’ve planted coneflower in July and had it survive!