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Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

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Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#81

Post by jmspring »

bmitc wrote: post #3

After getting a house with a decent sized yard and trees, I have been having a lot of fun with planting native plants. While my neighbors are cutting down trees, which is honestly hard to watch, and paying landscapers to plant non-native plants, I'm spending a lot of time researching and planting native plants. It is honestly one of the more fulfilling things to walk outside and see all sorts of bees, butterflies, mo…

I did this when I bought a house in Santa Cruz. Planted a bunch of natives, in particular bushes that flowered at different times of the year - ceanothus, manzanita, etc. I happily had bees and other insects around the yard almost all the time. It's worth doing.

Funny thing, monarch butterflies (and the caterpillars) seem to prefer the non-native Milkweed to the native variety.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#82

Post by [deleted] »

bmitc wrote: post #3

After getting a house with a decent sized yard and trees, I have been having a lot of fun with planting native plants. While my neighbors are cutting down trees, which is honestly hard to watch, and paying landscapers to plant non-native plants, I'm spending a lot of time researching and planting native plants. It is honestly one of the more fulfilling things to walk outside and see all sorts of bees, butterflies, mo…

[deleted]

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#83

Post by acabal »

Planting native plants is very rewarding, and you don't need a lot of space to do it, either.

The only space for greenery in our condo, located in a major urban center, is a small strip of mud at the side of the building. A few years ago I seeded it with native plants, and they grew spectacularly. Spring through fall we have colorful native flowers that attract a huge amount of bees of various species, butterflies, and other pollinators - in the middle of a giant city!

It's a great feeling to step outside and see flowers and greenery that belong, covered in busy life that was never there before! You don't need a lot of space, and you can do it in a city too.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#84

Post by AlotOfReading »

bmitc wrote: post #53
onos wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t really understand the logic behind native only, beyond the desire not to introduce a plant or creature that would monopolize their environment.

What do you not understand about it? Just trying to address any specific questions you might have. Here's some bullet points I've collected in my head. I'm not an expert and am still learning. See the links below. Planting native plants: - reduces watering and fertilization needs, if not removing them, because native plants are built for the area they're planted in - attracts native insects, which further attracts na…

All of these things are partially true, but not fully.

Your yard is only rarely representative of the "natural" ecosystem that would otherwise exist. Generalist species may find your yard similar enough to thrive, but specialists (carnivorous plants are a popular example) likely will not even if they're native to the immediate area.

Non-natives can actually be even more efficient than natives at many things, including carbon capture. Prickly pear is a highly invasive example that outcompetes native crops with higher efficiency photosynthesis, huge adaptability to arid environments, and massive carbon capture potential due to its rapid growth rate.

Speaking of prickly pear, it's a native family in much of the western US, but it remains invasive in yards throughout that range because the ecological succession that would naturally control its reproduction takes decades and isn't allowed to occur. Don't plant it.

Your yard is a cultivated environment. Be cognizant of what you're planting and how it interacts. Natives are often a good choice, but there are perfectly valid reasons to plant non-natives or avoid certain natives.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#85

Post by is_true »

jlglover wrote: post #69
is_true wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could buy a bow and do some management. It's really interesting. There's a YouTube channel, seek one.

I live on a medium-sized lot within the limits of a city, so bow hunting is not allowed in my yard.

Maybe somewhere close. Near where I live they had to start paying people to hunt because off all the accidents caused by deer

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#86

Post by dahfizz »

bmitc wrote: post #61
LegitShady wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a neighbour who did a permaculture front yard that was ridiculously beautiful, but unfortunately the tall grasses etc became a haven for rodents which caused problems for multiple neighbours. Sometimes there are good reasons why a regular grass yard might be ok.

That's an example of part of the problem though. By originally cutting everything down and destroying the ecosystem, it pushed out the predators that would keep the rodents in check. We have rodents here for sure, but there are also foxes, coyotes, fisher cats, hawks, raccoons, bobcats, and owls.

A simple proposition for homeowners - trade your lawn for a bunch of coyotes and raccoons.

I wonder why more suburbs don't do that.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#87

Post by yostrovs »

taeric wrote: post #66
bmitc wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm still not totally certain how to "manage" the trees in our yard. We are in a quite woody area with huge trees. I contacted an arborist place last year and plan on paying them to come out and teach me about the trees on my property. The previous owners cutdown some huge trees, but luckily mainly concentrated on the trees that were super close to the house. It's possible remaining trees could hit the house, and the…

What was the reasoning to cut down 50+ trees? That feels excessive in any world.

Loggers pay good money for straight, quality trees.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#88

Post by chasd00 »

ernestipark wrote: post #34

Semi related, but I firmly believe everyone with a yard should have chickens. 4 chickens can feed a family with more eggs than they'll ever need, you'll almost never throw food scraps out again, and you'll keep harmful methane producing waste out of landfills.

i had an across the street neighbor in Dallas that basically had a mini-farm in their backyard. An actual "up at 5 to milk the goats, feed, and eggs before work" type farm. I did enough of that in HS growing up in the sticks with odd jobs at dairies, elevators, and other farm type work. No thanks, dues are paid :)

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#89

Post by NoImmatureAdHom »

bmitc wrote: post #59
taeric wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Native plants may be easy; but by that measure, invasives are where its at. :D That said, bringing down trees is always odd to me. Definitely bring down any that pose a risk to your house. But otherwise, seems more effort than it is worth. I should probably be a lot better at pruning, as that is a ton of work. And, while intellectually I know the answer is that you are unlikely to kill the tree, I am always worried a…

I'm still not totally certain how to "manage" the trees in our yard. We are in a quite woody area with huge trees. I contacted an arborist place last year and plan on paying them to come out and teach me about the trees on my property. The previous owners cutdown some huge trees, but luckily mainly concentrated on the trees that were super close to the house. It's possible remaining trees could hit the house, and the…

I don't know where you live, but a lot of municipalities make what your neighbors are doing illegal. Might want to check.

Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot

#90

Post by NoImmatureAdHom »

yostrovs wrote: post #87
taeric wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What was the reasoning to cut down 50+ trees? That feels excessive in any world.

Loggers pay good money for straight, quality trees.

It's true, but just to clarify for people out there: "yard trees" bring less, and maybe nothing...if you can get someone out there. It's because there's usually only one or a few in that spot, they're difficult to get to (behind a house), and they're full of metal that will damage saw blades (like that clothes line pulley someone put up in 1930).
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