For some years we have been unsuccessful in growing prairie (downy) gentian (Gentiana puberulenta), but suddenly we have six or seven good areas in the Ridge Prairie. This small planted…

Yesterday was a great day for seed collecting (until the rain started at 3 PM!). My job was to collect Virginia wild rye (Elymus virginicus), a nice rye grass that…

The photo above is of a prairie and savanna remnant developing on a steep south-facing slope with a thin, stony soil. Even without doing any quantitative measurements, it is easy…

September ushers in seed collecting as a major restoration activity. Suddenly lots of species are ready to collect, and from now until early November each week will bring on several…

We have now created a new trail map that provides a more complete view of Pleasant Valley Conservancy. This map is available in a dispenser at the trail entrance. The…

Two weeks ago I mentioned a technique we had developed for controlling Canada goldenrod. This invasive native is often a problem in prairie restoration. Since it is clonal, it often…

In my July 23, 2011 post I discussed the success we are now having getting purple and white prairie clovers (Dalea purpurea and D. candida) established. White prairie clover is…

Most of the prairies at Pleasant Valley Conservancy are small (less than 5 acres), which means that they have lots of edges. Anyone doing prairie restoration will tell you that…

In a post two years ago, I showed that lousewort (Pedicularis lanceolata), a hemiparasitic plant, was infecting the sedge Carex trichocarpa and holding it in check. This sedge forms monospecific…

My interest in buckthorn growth and survival continues. Eventually this knowledge should lead to better understanding of how to eradicate this exceedingly undesirable plant. At Pleasant Valley Conservancy I have…