Since May, we’ve been busy planting native plant plugs (some we grew, some we purchased, all funded by K-State Green Action Fund), weeding, and grooming the Meadow.
Plant establishment is going well, as you can see in the lush photos, but we are still fighting several weed species. We continue to rely upon cutting back (weed whipping) and hand pulling to manage weeds. We did make a rare exception for a one-time herbicide application to a very small area of bindweed (about 12 feet along a 3 foot deep swathe of the western edge of the Meadow).
This week, we enjoy the blooming bee balm, butterfly milkweed, plains coreopsis, and rose verbena.
Spring 2014 thank you’s are due to:
Kathrine Schlageck, Boy Scout organizer extraordinaire
Boy Scouts of Manhattan Troop 75
Karen Hummel
Dr. Valerie Wright
Dr. Rhonda Janke
Dr. Zakary Ratajczak
Sarah Lott
Lee Skabelund
Blake Belanger
Troy Britt, museum employee, art student, and expert ‘raking artist’
Chelcie Sutherland, museum employee and photographer
Lindsay Smith, museum exhibit designer, willing weeder, and constant Meadow groomer
Richard Dean Prudenti, museum special projects employee and LARCP student assigned to the Meadow
Joe Myers, Annette Finkeldei, and Dan McGee of K-State Grounds for their expert and timely assistance