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sparklewillow t1_j3ew2p9 wrote

Reply to comment by periwinkleravenclaw in So, what do we do? by seeyoubythesea

We have 2 acres and I thought the best thing was to just leave it alone, but sounds like we could be doing more, good tip.

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acfox13 t1_j3ezuhn wrote

The Way It Grows does landscape design focused on native plants and sustainable agriculture; if you're looking for help with the design portion.

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Literallydead_1 t1_j3gibpz wrote

If you've never visited r/nolawns yall should! Not that all your land is lawn/yard, but you get the idea. Love this subreddit and wish a lot of our Maine neighbors would do this!

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HIncand3nza t1_j3f1ogl wrote

That is probably the best thing you can do. Just let natural plants take hold.

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DiscordAccordion t1_j3fepmx wrote

Do be sure to weed out invasive species. Upstate New Yorker at Uni in Maine and buckthorns have devastated my yard. Outcompetes all the other plants and sprouts back as soon as you cut it down. After 2 years of cutting and removing roots, it's finally gone. Don't let that happen to you; be vigilant for invasive plants.

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MontEcola t1_j3fc0jh wrote

It depends on the land. If it is a forest or wetland , leaving it alone might be best. If there is a stream, planting things to shade the water helps keep the water cold. Knowing what is growing there, what should be growing there, and what should not be there helps.

As for tics, encouraging animals that eat them helps. Opossum and skunks come to mind. Two animals that people do not want near their homes eat a ton of tics. Chickens and other birds eat tics too.

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umru316 t1_j3fd00r wrote

It's worth noting that you don't always need to plant trees. Native grasslands are also vital ecosystems to maintain and replace

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costabius t1_j3ffnio wrote

Just remember "native plants" are not going to be suitable to grow here in 30-50 years. We will have a much warmer and wetter climate, and the growing season will be longer.

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Sufficient_Risk1684 t1_j3fiskb wrote

Ehh. No. Most native plants have large ranges. Maine is at the northern end of some species, but not really at the southern end of many. Most of our species run commonly down to the Mid-Atlantic states anyway.

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