Native Plant Gardening

What counts as a native plant?

Native plants are species that grew in a region before large-scale human changes. The term is tied to place: a plant native to one area may not be native to another, even in the same state.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University both offer beginner guides that explain this and recommend starting by finding out what is native where you live.

How do I read my site before planting?

Observe sun, shade, soil moisture and drainage across the day and the seasons. Note slopes, wet spots, dry spots and compacted soil. Your plants must fit the site, not the other way around.

A soil test through your extension office shows pH and nutrients. Native plants often prefer lean soil, so do not assume that adding fertilizer or compost will help. Follow the test advice.

• Hours of direct sun
• Wet, average or dry soil
• Slope and drainage
• Soil test results
• Nearby trees and buildings

How do I choose plants, and where do they fit on a working farm?

Look for lists from your extension office, native plant society or state natural resource agency. Choose a mix of grasses, flowers and shrubs that suits your light and moisture. Include plants that bloom in different seasons.

Check your USDA hardiness zone for winter cold, but remember that zones show winter minimum temperatures, not planting times. Use local frost dates and soil temperature to time planting.

Native plants can line field edges, stabilize a bank, shade a path or fill a corner that is hard to mow. They can also serve as windbreaks and screens, and provide cover for helpful insects. Plan for access so you can mow around them with your equipment. Think about how they interact with livestock. Some plants are harmful to animals if eaten, so check with your extension office or veterinarian before planting anything within reach of grazing animals.

• Field edges and banks
• Windbreaks and screens
• Garden borders near vegetable beds
• Check plant safety before planting near livestock

Where should I buy plants or seed?

Buy from nurseries that grow plants of local origin and label them clearly. Ask where seed was collected and how plants were grown. Avoid collecting plants or seed from wild areas unless you have permission and know the rules.

Be careful with seed mixes labeled as wildflower. Some include non-native or invasive species. Read the list of species, not just the name of the mix.

• Ask where seed or plants originated
• Read the species list on seed mixes
• Never dig wild plants without permission and knowledge of the rules
• Buy a few well-chosen plants rather than many random ones

How do I prepare and plant?

Remove existing lawn or weeds in a way that fits your site and time, and plan to keep weeding while plants establish. Plant at the time recommended for your region, based on frost dates and soil conditions.

Water new plantings as advised until roots take hold, then reduce. Mulch lightly where appropriate, keeping some open soil if you want to support ground-nesting insects.

What care do native gardens need, and what should I expect in the first three years?

The first one to three seasons need the most attention: weeding, watering in dry spells and checking for problems. After that, the plants usually fill in. Yearly care might include cutting back stems in late winter or spring and removing invasive weeds early.

Resist the urge to tidy everything in fall. Stems and seed heads shelter insects and feed birds.

A common saying is that perennials sleep in the first year, creep in the second and leap in the third. Roots grow first, and top growth follows. Weeds may look bigger than your plants early on, so keep a steady hand with weeding. Take notes and photos. They show what is thriving, what is struggling and what needs moving. Be willing to adjust. Gardens are living things, and the best ones are improved over time.

What mistakes should I avoid?

Planting too densely or too sparsely, choosing plants that do not match the site, and giving up in the first year, when roots are growing more than leaves. Another mistake is using chemicals out of habit. Labels are the law, and chemicals may harm the insects you want to attract.

Be patient and keep notes. A photo from the same spot each month shows progress that is easy to miss day to day.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.