Maintenance
Ultimately, a restoration is designed to mimic natural areas that require no maintenance beyond monitoring for invasive species. The first few years after planting, however, require some effort to ensure successful plant establishment
Watering
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| Rainfall provides moisture to newly planted restoration site. |
Shrubs, trees, and plants should be watered thoroughly during the first growing season. Sometimes nature will provide the rain for you, but if a week goes by without stormy weather, plan on enlisting the help of a sprinkler. A good rule of thumb is 1 inch of rain/water a week. Occasional deep watering that fully saturates the top 12 inches of the soil is ideal for good root development. Frequent and brief watering that only soaks the first few inches of soil can lead to shallow rooting of the tree/shrub which makes it more prone to drought stress in subsequent years. In other words, a couple of long and deep soakings each week are better than a little water each day. Obtaining a pump and using the lake or river as a water source is useful, especially because that water tends to be warmer and more nutrient rich.
Protection from Animals
Animals including deer and rabbits will often find new plantings quite tasty. To protect young seedlings, physical or chemical barriers can be used. Fences can be constructed around entire restoration projects or smaller mesh fences can be placed around individual trees and shrubs. There are a variety of chemical products that can be sprayed on vegetation to deter animals with bad tastes and odors. If using these products, be sure to switch which product you use roughly every month because animals will become accustomed to the smell over time.
Weeding
Frequent weeding the first year will help natives outcompete any weeds cropping up. Stay on the lookout for any invasive plants as they can become especially problematic (See Invasive Plants page for additional info). Early in the year it can be difficult to tell pesky weeds from beneficial native species. When planting, it’s useful to label the natives with small tags in order to help differentiate them from weeds later.