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Township of Morris Environmental Commission
January 2023 Newsletter
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This is a special edition devoted to the third annual Pollinator Plant Sale, which is sponsored by the Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) in conjunction with more than 15 local communities, including Morris Township. | |
2023 Pollinator Plant Sale and Webinar Series Is Here! | |
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How the Sale Works
The online sale will kick off at 1:30pm, Monday April 3 and run through close of business on Friday, April 28, with plant pickup for Morris Township residents at the Morristown Town Hall (or other sites if you choose) on Saturday May 6.
The GSWA will offer more than 25,000 deep-rooted landscape plugs of thirty-five locally native wildflower species.
These plants have been carefully selected for their ability to thrive with minimal care, attract pollinators, and to grow well in a variety of conditions around the yard from dry shade to the strip between sidewalk and road commonly known as "the hell strip." Most are resistant to deer, but no species is deer proof.
Six Kits and Some Standalone Species
There are six kits—comprised of plants that work well together, bloom across the season and provide pollinators both food and nectar through the seasons. There will also be some favorite species sold as standalones.
Check out the Native Plant Sale Catalog for more information.
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Dry Shade Kit: Does best in part-shade to shade and dry to average soils. Comprised of five plugs each Coral Bells, Curly Wood Sedge, Stonecrop, White Wood aster, Wreath Goldenrod
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Red, White and Blues Kit: Sun-loving, performs best in full sun and average to moist soils. Comprised of 5 plugs each of: Culvers Root, Scarlet Beebalm, Shining Blue Star, Showy Goldenrod, Side oats Gramma.
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Pink, Purple, and Yellows Kit: Sun-loving, performs best in full sun and average to moist soils. Comprised of 5 plugs each of: Anise Hyssop, Blunt Mountain Mint, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, New England Aster, Swamp Milkweed.
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Sidewalk/Container Kit: Perfect for hell strips, containers, or any location with difficult growing conditions. Performs well in full sun and dry soils but thrives in all sunny conditions. Comprised of 5 plugs of: Black-Eyed Susan, Butterfly Weed, Lyre leaf Sage, and Purple Lovegrass; along with 4 plugs of Pussytoes.
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Best-behaved Kit: Lower-growing, less spreading plants great for more formal gardens. Sun-loving, performs best in full sun and average to moist soils. Comprised of 5 plugs each of: Anise Hyssop, Blunt Mountain Mint, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, New England Aster, Swamp Milkweed.
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Rain Basin Kit: Wet-loving plants that thrive in wet areas. Can be combined with any of the sun-loving kits for rain gardens. Comprised of 5 plugs each of: Blue Flag Iris, Cardinal Flower, Eastern Star Sedge, Spotted Joe Pye, White Turtlehead.
No prior experience is needed. The GSWA provides “How To” guides, resources, and experienced gardener advice to ensure you succeed. Starting with the webinars below....
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GSWA Pollinator Webinar Series | | |
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The GSWA will help both novice and expert gardeners build their knowledge and prepare for the plant sale by hosting a series of monthly webinars. Led by nationally acclaimed subject matter experts, These one-hour webinars focus on native plants and the essential role a variety of pollinators play in the ecosystem.
Use the link below to register for all four webinars at once. This newsletter is too late for the January webinar, but a recording will be available to those who register below.
Please register to attend and access recordings.
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Webinar #1
Native Plants for Native Wildlife: Key Steps Toward Cultivating Biodiversity Conservation in our Gardens
(See note above about recording)
Speaker: Desiree Narango, Conservation Scientist with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies.
Description
Desiree will speak on the fascinating complexity of plant-animal interactions and help us understand the breadth of research which shows how native plants, and the pollinators and insects that feed upon them, are the foundation for cultivating food webs and encouraging biodiversity in our yards, patios, school grounds, and other privately managed green spaces. You’ll leave knowing more about the ‘why’ native plants are crucial to sustaining biodiversity, and specific plant species that are important for supporting specialist pollinators and songbirds.
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Webinar #2
Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect
February 21, 7-8 PM
Speaker: Eric Eaton, Acclaimed writer and entomologist specializing in Hymenoptera (an order of insects with over 150,000 living species of sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants)
Description
Because of the colony-defending social wasps like Yellow Jackets and Paper wasps, the thousands of really important Wasp species get a bum rap. Wasps are incredibly diverse and very important across the ecosystem. They are important pollinators, and also important beneficial insects whose parasitoid larvae keep pest insects from breeding out of control. Without wasps, we would need to use a lot more insecticide.
Wasps are also FASCINATING in their diversity.
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Webinar #3
What’s the Buzz About Native Bees?
March 21, 7-8 PM
(Live only - no zoom recording)
Speaker: Heather Holm, biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author.
Description
Most of us think “bee” means “honeybee”. Honeybees are a domesticated farm animal from Europe. They may scare us because they will sting to defend their huge colony. Native bees are very different. There are about 400 species in NJ, 4000 across the US. A few of the species are somewhat social with small colonies, but most are solitary and hence are not stingers. Native bees are very important pollinators for agriculture and for native plant species. They are also stunning and extremely interesting.
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Webinar #4
Native Plant Sale Product Overview
April 3, 12-1 PM
Speaker: Hazel England, GSWA Director of Education, Outreach, and Land Stewardship.
Description:
GSWA’s Hazel England describes the plants for sale this year, including details about their growth habits and benefits for pollinator-friendly yards.
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Meet Environmental Commission Members at the 2023 Winter Farmers Market | |
In association with Grow It Green Morristown, the Environmental Commission of Morris Township is pleased to announce the return of the Winter Farmers Market at the Convent train station parking lot.
Every other week, the EC will have a tabletop information display and give away wildflower seeds. Learn more here.
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Affiliations & Partnerships | | | | |
