Today I found some healthy-looking Echinacea seedlings at my experimental plot in Perch Lake WPA near Leola, SD.
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The DNR sprayed this area (including my plot) last week, in an effort to eradicate yellow toadflax. It seems that my seedlings were shielded by the tall grass. It’s also likely that the seedlings are not in a rapidly growing stage, so they may have been less vulnerable than other broad-leaf plants.
Here’s another picture:
Thank goodness! Wonderful to see that more than one seedling made it. Data! Were the toothpicks helpful at all for distinguishing individuals?
The toothpicks were extremely useful! I found almost all the toothpicks, except for a few that had been broken (the plot had been driven through in a couple of places). In many locations, there was no plant near the toothpick, but where there were survivors, I could tell which ones were which. It as also clear when there were new seedlings.