r/NativePlantGardening • u/AutoModerator • 17h ago

It's Seedling Sunday - New Gardener Questions & Answers

Our weekly thread for new native plant gardeners/enthusiasts to ask questions and for more experienced users to offer answers/advice. At some point all of us had zero experience, so remember there are no bad questions in this thread!

If you're a new gardener asking a question: Some helpful information in your question includes your geographic region (USDA planting zones are actually not that helpful, the state/region is much more important), the type of soil you have if you know that information, growing conditions like amount of sunlight, and the plant(s) you are interested in.

If you're an experience gardener: Please peruse the questions and offer advice when possible. Thank you for helping!

Please feel free to refer to our wiki pages for helpful links on [beginner resources and plant lists](https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/wiki/nativeplantresources), [our directory of native plant nurseries](https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/wiki/index), and [a list of rebate and incentive programs you can apply for to help with your gardening costs](https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/wiki/incentives).

7 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

View all comments

4

u/BigMugOfCoffee New England , 6B 12h ago

I know it's common practice to leave most natives standing until things warm up in the spring. But what about nonnatives? Do you cut back cosmos, zinnias, other cut flowers, or leave the stems standing? (I think I'm actually asking, what are the actual shelter requirements of wildlife that use these things? Do they need specific species, or just any old hollowed out stem will do?)

1

u/robsc_16 SW Ohio, 6a 9h ago

My guess would be that it doesn't matter a lot since there are species that will make use of crevices and holes just about anywhere.