The Viola propagation tub Team Echinacea installed this past summer was designed with a few goals in mind. First of all, we wanted the tub to produce Viola pedatifida seed that could be used to help seed this important spring native throughout our remnants and experimental plots. We have already seen a pretty good return on our investment from the seed production end, just this fall 10 ripe pods have been harvested each containing between 20 and 30 seeds so this season around 250 seeds have been collected. Additionally, 9 Immature pods were collected before winterizing the plot, so hopefully, some good seeds will come from those as well. The second big goal we wanted to explore with this setup is learning more about small-scale production plots. Several other species have been known to grow well in beds like violets and hopefully, through managing this violet plot, we can learn more about what to expect. Other notable species that may go into future production plots are Ranunculus rhomboideus, Fragaria virginiana, Geum triflorum, and many others. Other good data to collect may come from the survivability of plants directly transferred from remnants and data on germination and survivability of seedlings.
Plot Layout and Plant Data
The plot is laid out below with the corresponding position numbers. The left spreadsheet lays out the ID and source for each plant, and the right contains data on pods collected so far.
Collecting Pods
Throughout the fall, 2 pods were followed from flowering to splitting of the pod. Pictures were taken each day along the entire course each morning before lunch. each pod took 17 days from flower to splitting open. Photos here will be arranged in inverse chronological order starting with pod splitting and then counting backwards. Moving forward we would like to learn what the exact features are of a pod that is ready to harvest. So far these photos have shown 2 likely indicators. 1) the pod starts very green and small and slowly turns a pale cream color and fills out as it matures. 2) The pod stem transitions from a bent gooseneck shape into a more upright position while lightening in color. When a pod is ready the stem tends to be fairly straight or has a soft curvature.
Violet 8
Violet 11
Tucking in for Winter
Oct 24 2024 the violets seed production was slowing down and with winter weather on its way it was decided that we should tuck the violets in and cover them. Firstly litter and any seeds visible on the surface of the tub. Next, a 4-inch mulch of Straw cut from P1 was applied across the entire surface of the tub, being sure to cover all green stems from the violas. Lastly, a Sheet of hardware cloth was cut to the length of the tub to prevent the intrusion of digging animals. This sheet was bent around the edges of the tub and then weighed down by several stones. Afterwards, the violas should be safe until next summer.
Spring 2025
A few things will definitely be on the docket for next spring. First off after the snow recedes the wire and mulch should be removed as soon as possible to ensure the soil warms and the volets get enough sunlight. As soon as the soil is removed an inch or so of compost should be applied across the entire bed. Once the violets emerge then the mulch can be reapplied to prevent weed development. Flowers should develop quickly and the job of picking ripe pods will almost certainly last all summer.
Throughout this summer Stuart, Jared, and I have been discussing the possibility of a new addition to the production plots at the Hjelm. The main goal was to create a production plot for the Prairie Violet. It is a notoriously difficult species to collect seed for in the wild due to its relatively early seed set period and its tendency for seed pods to burst open and scatter seeds the moment they are ripe. Our first obstacle was determining exactly how we wanted to get local viola plants. Would we need to be exhaustive in harvesting local seeds and sprouting them; could we attempt to propagate from cuttings; or were transplants our best course of action? After some discussion and reaching out to the Chicago Botanical Garden we found that cuttings weren’t a good option and attempt to harvest and sprout seed was going to be too difficult and possibly provide low yields. Next, we worked on sourcing a growing vessel that will prevent weeds while providing well-draining soil, perfect for the violets. An old cattle trough from a local farmer was the perfect solution.
Holes were drilled and a piece of drain tile was placed inside of the bottom the planter to allow drainage. and then the clay-rich soil that was dug up to level the bed was used to fill the first 1/3 of the planter. Weed free garden soil and washed sand was then mixed approximately 1:1 to fill the rest of the bed with high quality soil that will drain enough for the violets. On Aug 7th Starting at around 6:45 am Stuart and I both went out to collect violets from 5 different sites we had determined to be good host sites. Five plants were taken with each being at least 5 meter away from each other per site. We then recorded the gps postion of the collection point and gave each violet a number to identify it.
Once all the violets were collected a random position was chosen for each plant to ensure fair representation per site. And then finally we could plant each violet after washing its roots to ensure no weeds become established.
Now have a finished production Plot full of V. pedatifida that seem to be doing well only a few weeks on and some are already producing new leaves a good sign they are enjoying their new home.
My name is Liam Poitra and I am excited to be joing team echinacea for a second consecutive year. This summer I am hoping to deepen my knowledge further about the plant and animal interactions that make our prairies such dynamic ecosystems. For the first day with the whole team back, we spent the morning touring sites with Stuart and learning about common plants on the prairie. In the afternoon we worked as small groups setting out to remnants to familiarize ourselves the outcomes of burning on the prairie. Brittany, Ning, and I set out to observe 2 prairies 1 burned (yohw) and 1 unburned (loefflers corner). Yohw burned this spring was very short still all the plants were ankle height or lower and the soil was completely exposed without a thatch layer to cover it. However several plants showed great growth such as the heart shaped Alexander which seems to have already put out many leaves and was by far the plant to return the most vigorously at the site. Loefflers corner on the other hand showed plenty of brome and a thick thatch between plants. Both places seemed to have similar species however the forbs were easier to pick out at yohw
Today as part of the orientation for the 2023 summer crew Dr. Jennifer Ison led a group in catching and identifying bees. The group loved running around the heliopsis in the garden trying to capture that elusive male Megachilidae “mason bee” with the big furry body and the green eyes. Unfortunately, we were so excited we forgot to get a picture. So you’ll have to take my word for it, but here’s a picture of the flowers.
Research interests: I am hoping to build on my knowledge of native flora and how they affect the environment around them, especially the soil characteristics. I would love to learn more about how deep rooted perennials affect the hydrology of the landscape.
Statement: I am from Virginia, MN
I started getting interested in native prairie plants when i was in high school working with conservation corps MN and IA in their youth program, I love being outside and spending time in nature. My hobbies include running, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, and gardening.
