October 2025 Newsletter
Seed Collecting
October is a big month for seed collecting. While different species are ready for seed collecting all summer long (we were collecting sedge seeds in June!), many species in the aster, goldenrod, and grass families will be ready this month. If you have native plants in your yard, collecting the seeds is a great way to grow many many more plants. And if you have enough plants (impossible!) you can share your seeds with others (sharing is caring).
The Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library has an excellent series of videos on how to collect seeds from different species. Each year they distribute thousands of packets of native seeds for free! If you have extra native plant seeds you can donate to their seed library or your local seed library.
Seeds are ready for harvest when the flower stems turn brown. The seeds should be easy to remove from the plant. If they are still stuck firmly to the flower head they are not ready. The asters will fluff out like dandelions.
Collect your seeds in labelled paper bags or envelopes, not plastic. They will need to dry out for a week or two before you can store them. They won’t need to be stored for long, we’ll be sowing them in December.
You don’t need to clean the seeds, but separating out the large stems and leaves will make them easier to handle later.
Fall planting
You can still plant seedlings out in the garden, it’s not too late. Get them into the ground as soon as possible so their roots have time to settle in before it gets too cold. They will gradually adjust to the cooler temperatures and then go dormant for the winter.
Last month I planted almost two thousand seedlings. The big difference I noticed between spring planting and fall planting is the amount of moisture that is in the soil. In the spring all the snow has just melted and we usually get rain on a regular basis. There is often a lot of water already in the soil. When I was planting in September the soil was very dry. It had all summer to dry out, and we had a long drought. I needed to pay attention and spend more time watering the seedlings until they were established.
Leaf collecting season
October is leaf collecting month! I love using leaves as mulch. We have a lot of deciduous trees on our property and I collect and make large piles of leaves to use as mulch on all of the native plant beds. I love this Ted Talk about composting leaves, but the concepts also work for collecting leaves for mulch.
Sand Barren Restoration
This month we completed the first step in our mini sand barren restoration project, which was to protect it from vehicle traffic. The sand barren is along the edge of our driveway and it looks like an open area where you could drive or park (which has happened). We placed logs all along the edge to act as a visual and physical barrier.
Sand barrens are a rare habitat in Ontario. They are home to many resilient species that are able to grow in harsh environmental conditions.
Next month we will start removing species that don’t belong. Our first target is Scots Pine, an invasive tree species that likes open areas. Fortunately the seedlings are easy to pull out of the sandy soil.
Trent Ecological Restoration Conference
October 24th & 25th
We are very excited to be speaking at the Trent Ecological Restoration conference at the end of the month. Our talk is about sedges and the germination trials that we run to figure out how best to grow them. Come on out to hear all of the fantastic speakers and talk with the exhibitors! There is even a field trip on the first day.
New Species
We have a very limited supply of these four new species added to the website this month. They all grow well on dry sites (like sand barrens!).
Happy seed collecting!
Andrea D’Silva
Swallowtail Native Plants