On January 17th Master Gardener Michele Melady Young and Maitland Trail Association members Kathleen Lush, Colleen McGregor and Karin Hoernig presented a Winter Sowing and Seed Sitting Workshop at Lakeshore United Church, Goderich. Two groups of enthusiastic participants learned why native plants are important and why winter sowing is an effective and inexpensive way to propagate native plants.
Michele and Colleen walked participants through the process of setting up a winter sowing container. Participants were asked to take home the containers and place them outdoors. In the spring, when seedlings have matured sufficiently, they will return their containers of plants and receive a voucher for six free native plants at the Maitland Trail Association Native Plant Sale. Michele explained that the seedlings will be repotted and then sold in the spring to benefit the Maitland Trail Association. MTA’s projects include maintaining public hiking trails, as well as removing invasive plants and replacing them with native species. This clever approach by the workshop organizers means that participants will help grow plants to diversify local trail areas, with the added bonus that they will receive a variety of free plants for their own gardens.
As well as Tri-County Master Gardener Michele Melady Young, groups such as Butterflyway Goderich, Huron County Backyard Ecosystems, Milkweed Madhouse, Goderich and District Horticultural Society, John Hindmarsh Environmental Trust Fund, Maitland Trail Association and Lakeshore United Church Outreach Committee hosted information and display tables at the event to highlight their activities and explain how native plants support biodiversity and ensure the survival of pollinators.
Approximately 55 containers of winter sown plants went home with their Seed Sitters. The upside of this fun event is hundreds of native plants will make their way into the environment to help host and feed pollinators in much needed and expanded pollinator pathways.
