I started a small butterfly garden at the corner of our house, I am thinking of continually expanding each year so we get rid of all the grass completely but this corner gets sun and the rest of the lawn (dirt) is shaded by our 10 large oaks and also has highly acidic soil from all the acorns it drops. Any suggestions for low light, high acidity soil ground cover? (I think it was acidic but have the soil testers to retest this year)
by Flimsy_Matter6653
2 Comments
I would stick to woodland native plants to your region.
What kind of mix is that? Looks like an American Meadows or Eden Brother’s Mix for a “xyz” region. If so, I’d work on learning identifying what you have there. I’m suspecting many of those are not natives to your region.
From there, I would check out r/nativeplantgardening and get into the wiki and ask some questions over there…tons of awesome advice that is often region specific. You will be able to get steered towards sources to both learn, and acquire natives to your region.
Natives are the real ecosystem servicers. They not only have pretty flowers, but the plant itself hosts the insects and critters that are the basis for the food web. Caterpillars that eat the plants, become food for birds and wasps, enough caterpillars survive to become moths and butterflies. Some of those become food for bats. The habitat that the native plants provide after they’ve been established for a year or two becomes home to toads, and mice etc…that brings in the owls and hawks.
You have an awesome start with Oaks. They are a keystone species and host tons of insects. Work on developing those soft landing areas with woodland floor plants and you will a very happy little system from subterranean to canopoy.
Happy Planting!