For the first year since we started to grow native plants here at the Preserve’s McAlpin Farm greenhouses, we sent many native plants out to the natural lands and all three gardens, 1,940 to be exact. To aid in the continued growing of plants at McAlpin Farm, we added a shade structure and gravel pad. This is a much-needed addition where we will store container plants year-round.
The end of summer is when we begin rooting plant cuttings of the annual plants that we would like to have in the gardens the following year. The earlier this work is done, before the days get too short, the faster the plant cuttings will root, even in the glass greenhouse. This year we rooted at least 60 different plant varieties from salvia to heliotrope.
Jon Knight, Manager of Abby Garden & McAlpin Farm