<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Our big problem is the straw mulch.
We require Michigan native genotype, but we are getting some disasterous
results with weeds from the mulch. There are currently no certified weed-free
providers in the state. Hopefully, we can work on that issue next.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">" Finish each day and be done with
it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept
in. Forget them as soon as you can."
Ralph Waldo Emerson<br>
<br>
Patricia Ruta McGhan, Botanist<br>
Manistee National Forest<br>
(231) 745-4631ext. 3102<br>
email: pruta@fs.fed.us<br>
</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>"Craig Dremann - Redwood
City Seed Company" <Craig@astreet.com></b> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: apwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">08/26/2009 11:30 AM</font>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">apwg@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">[APWG] Substitute local native ecotypes,
for the exotics in the seed mixes?</font></table>
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<br><tt><font size=2>Dear Alison and All (especially other DOT readers),<br>
<br>
Thanks for your email.<br>
<br>
TINY TEST PLOTS: If Nebraska DOT is already using native grasses
along<br>
the roadsides, but mixed with exotic perennial weedy grasses, then the<br>
Tiny Test plots would only need be to find substitutes for the exotics,
by<br>
testing fast-growing natives?<br>
<br>
MIXING EXOTICS with Natives, is very, very bad for your native planting,<br>
because of the allelopathic effects of the exotics, plus any perennial<br>
exotics do not fade out of the picture. The only exotic annual
that I<br>
have seen fade out within one season, is cultivated oats, and that is it.
<br>
Every other species of exotic especially those used as pasture grasses
or<br>
roadside stabilization, whether annual or perennial, gets naturalized to<br>
some degree, within the native ecosystem.<br>
<br>
WHAT DOES YOUR STATE FLORA SAY? A good guide to the potential problems<br>
with mixing exotics with your natives, is to look at a copy of your State<br>
flora, if one has been written. If the species you want to mix in,
has<br>
ever become “naturalized” or “escaped from cultivation” in that it
has the<br>
ability to grow and reproduce on its own, then NEVER ever add that exotic<br>
species to your native seed mix.<br>
<br>
QUALITY OF SEED STOCKS? So if you are using natives regularly for<br>
roadsides, then the next two issues, is the purity of seed stock, in terms<br>
of weed seed and “other crop” seeds.<br>
<br>
This is where we run into big problems here in California, native seeds<br>
are produced by seed growers, but are legally allowed to have a certain<br>
percentage of weed and other crop seeds mixed in.<br>
<br>
Those few percent of weed or other crop seed can ruin your whole planting,<br>
so always insist on a “Zero, Zero, Zero” standard for the seed growers
to<br>
produce, which is Zero noxious weeds, and Zero weed seed, and zero other<br>
crop seeds.<br>
<br>
LOCAL ECOTYPES? I hope that Nebraska is using the same ECOTYPE program<br>
statewide, as Iowa DOT? In that all of the native seeds sown along
the<br>
roadsides in Iowa are local genetic material? If not, then let the<br>
conversion begin in Nebraska and all the other states!<br>
<br>
You can read about the importance of native ecotypes, with a massive<br>
bibliography at the end, at<br>
</font></tt><a href=http://www.ecoseeds.com/juicy.gossip.three.html><tt><font size=2>http://www.ecoseeds.com/juicy.gossip.three.html<br>
<br>
UC Davis did common garden experiments with some of our California native<br>
grasses in 1994 and found that only the local populations persisted over<br>
time. So you could get an excellent stand of native grasses in a
planting<br>
for the first few years, and then if it is not local genetic material,<br>
watch it disappear over time, as short as 3-4 years.<br>
<br>
Sincerely, Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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