Webinar Zoom Link: ReWildLongIsland.org/webinar
Learn an inexpensive method to fill your yard with native perennials.
This webinar will take you from seeds in a pot to plants in the ground. You will love growing environment-friendly perennials from seed as much as Catherine does!
MATERIALS LIST
Here are the materials you’ll need to start your own seeds after the webinar.
Native perennial seeds - available online at Prairie Moon and Wild Seed Project … What type of seeds? Catherine says: Native seeds take a while to germinate; this hobby takes some patience. If you want a quicker response, you could try seeds that don't require cold stratification such as Asters or Coneflowers but even they could take 3 weeks to sprout. If you choose these seeds, you shouldn't start them before March or they will get leggy before you can plant them outdoors.
Organic seed starting mix
Organic potting soil
Clean play sand - sand from ocean beaches is too salty
As many 2 ½-3" plastic pots as you’d like to start… see what you have on hand rather than adding more plastic…
Several clear plastic containers with lids ... such as a clamshell that contained salad, micro-greens, etc. that are 3 ½ " high or tall enough to fit your pots with the lid closed
Spray bottle with tap water
Plant labels (Catherine cuts yogurt lids to size) or masking tape and a sharpie marker … so you remember where you put which seed!
Catherine Halpern grew up on Long Island and got her love of nature and its creatures from her Dad. Even when he worked 6 days a week, he would take the family out east on Sundays to walk in the woods, row boats and look for turtles. He always had turtles, frogs, newts, fish, and snakes as pets.
Catherine has lived in East Northport for 25 years and is converting the yard into a native habitat in her spare time. Her family enjoys watching nature from their window and their yard. Catherine’s family especially loves birds!
Catherine has perfected her method of indoor seed sowing over the last 15 years.
Read Catherine’s blog, My Low-Tech Process for Germinating and Growing Native Perennials