Starting in May 2024, I began converting my front lawn into a native prairie, and I documented the process along the way. I was really surprised at how well it went and the ridiculous number of insects that appeared, even in a relatively small area of native plants. Much more exciting and useful than a lawn.
Upper Midwest, Zone 5
This was a great video! I liked the way you planned things without going overboard. I couldn't tell in the video if you removed all of your sod or just mulched over it. I'm planning to do something similar in my (much) smaller front yard, but with a mix of natives and cultivars. I just bought the house and the previous owners had some pretty impressive cultivars that attracted a lot of pollinators, so as I split those this fall I started placing them in the lawn.
Have you found the wire fence necessary? Is it for pest protection? I hadn't considered having to do that.
I hope that one day I can have as beautiful a yard as you have created.
Some people are against it, but I sprayed the lawn with glyphosate. Sheet mulching works well too, but takes several months. I wanted to make sure the grass and any weeds were completely dead, and after planting, I had to do really minimal weeding. Now that the native plants are established, they should outcompete most weeds that show up.
I think a small fence is necessary depending on how many rabbits you have around. I had lots in my yard, and if I didn't fence the area, they would immediately chow down on all the baby plants, which would be a bunch of time and money down the drain, so it's definitely worth it IMO.
That's awesome you have a yard of your own to work with now! And great that there are already plants attracting pollinators. I hope they grow really well for you.
That’s so awesome. I hope to start my front yard this winter
Hell yeah! I hope it goes great!
Amazing , so inspiring 🦠🪱🐛❤️🐾🦋🐞🐝💚
Thank you! I love seeing all the little creatures!