There are many benefits to replacing part of your yard with a native plant garden, especially if you’re the type who doesn’t like mowing the lawn or gardening. But if you’re going to do it this summer, there are several important factors to consider first.
Putting the wrong plants in the wrong places will not only turn out to be a waste of money, time and effort, they can also lead to costly repairs and potentially dangerous situations.
The beauty of a native plant garden lies in the fact that the plants are adapted to our climate. Plants that aren’t adapted to our region can still survive here, but they will require more resources, typically in the way of water, possibly nutrients, and most of all your time.
“Native plant gardens are great for the lazy gardener,” said Clark Public Utilities Invasive Species Coordinator Brad Mead. “Once the plants are established they usually don’t need any extra care, aside from a little weeding every now and then.”
It may be tempting to spend the weekend digging up half the lawn, going to the plant nursery and landscaping the yard, but a little planning goes a long way.
If you’re going to put them in the ground between now and mid-September, get ready to do a lot of watering. When you bring them home from a nursery their roots are used to life in a pot. When you put them in your yard, the plants are going to devote their energies to rooting themselves in the soil. During this period, they likely won’t grow much above ground.
However, if you wait a few months to plant, just before fall, your new plants can take advantage of the seasonal rains and you’ll save yourself some labor and water.
Now to plan. First, get to know your yard. Is it sandy? Is there much topsoil? Does it drain fast or is it kind of swampy? Does it get a lot of sun, or does your neighbor’s tree block it out for most of the day? Make a note of those details and bring the information to your nearest native plant nursery. They can help you select the right plants for your particular circumstances.
Also, make sure you’ll be working in a safe location and that your new plants won’t become a potentially expensive or dangerous problem a few years from now.
Regardless of how deep you’re going, always call 811 to have underground utilities located before planting anything in your yard.
While you may be tempted to surround the green electrical box sitting on the corner of your property with some hearty shrubs, don’t do it.
“Never dig around those boxes,” said Clark Public Utilities Safety and Environment Manager Tommy Jensen. “Most underground distribution lines are 7,200 volts and there are many of those in our community. Putting your shovel into that could cause it to explode in your face and cause serious injuries.”
“It’s free to locate underground utilities,” he added. “One call could save your life.”
Planning ahead also protects your investment in landscaping because during a power outage crews need to access those boxes and may be forced to dig out your landscaping to get to them if plants are less than 10 feet away.
By that same token, plant trees a healthy distance away from overhead lines. A 6-foot-tall sapling can easily mature into a 50-foot giant that could grow into or even fall into power lines. Better to choose a variety that will only reach about 25 feet when fully mature.
If you do want to put a garden below overhead lines, consider shrubs and herbaceous plants and keep them away from poles.
The Clark Public Utilities website has more information on the benefits of native plant gardens at clarkpublicutilities.com/resources/native-plants-grow-happy-here.
More information about the Pacific Northwest’s native plants and more resources are also available at www.nativeplantspnw.com/design-shopping-guides.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
