Planting the Welcome Sign – Lincoln Prairie Trail Head in Pana IL 5-1-25
Written and contributed by Master Gardner and LPTC volunteer Karen Cherry
A couple months ago I met with Lisa Bland, a longtime member of Pana Pride a great group of people dedicated to making their city “look good” and keeping it that way. I’ve worked with them several times in the past. Lisa asked if I could make some suggestions for low-maintenance flowers under the new “Welcome to Pana” sign located on the grounds of the Pana end of the Lincoln Prairie Trail.
We met just off Route 29 at the sign site, where I did an assessment of the light & soil conditions and asked, if there were funds available to purchase plants and a long-term plan for maintenance. Lisa gave the answers I wanted to hear, “yes” and “yes”. Planting is only the beginning, without initial and long-term care for an area like this it will never develop into the intended vision.
Over the last several years I’ve come to realize the importance of planting native plants, this site was a perfect opportunity. Lisa asked for low-maintenance, native plants will not need to be fertilized and will usually not need any extra water after they are established. But during this beginning phase, while growing their deep roots which prairie plants are known for, the plants will requite lots of TLC. After supplying them with a good start, the only requirement will be controlling weeds. Mulching will help keep weeds at bay, hold soil moisture, and add organic matter to the soil as it decomposes. As the plants fill in, the requirement for mulch should decrease. Perennial plants live for at least three years, the plants that were chosen are long-lived, eliminating that arduous task of establishing new plants annually.
Many prairie plants are becoming rare, they don’t seem to fit our aesthetic, I miss seeing these unique beauties along the road where incessant mowing has destroyed them. I’m sure native fauna will appreciate this thoughtful gesture. Let’s plant more native plants: for the butterflies, birds and ourselves.