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Blog
Welcome to the Blue Stem Natives blog, where we share what we’re learning in the nursery, in the landscape, and out in the field. From plant profiles to project updates, our goal is to give you useful, down-to-earth information to support your native-plant journey.
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Mow Less, Live More: The Case for a Wilder Yard
A hot topic lately is how to have less lawn — and honestly, it's about time. Traditional turf grass doesn't offer much to the environment. It requires regular fertilizer and irrigation to stay green, demands constant mowing to satisfy the neighborhood aesthetic, and the gas-powered equipment we use to maintain it — mowers, leaf blowers, edgers — takes a real toll. Gas powered garden equipment engines produce up to 5% of the nation’s air pollution. That said, some turf grass d
May 25 min read
It's Herping Season!
Guest post by Olivia Nicholson Each year in early spring, something remarkable happens across the forests of Massachusetts. As snow melts and the first warm rains arrive, amphibians begin emerging from their winter shelters and making their way toward temporary wetlands known as vernal pools. For nature enthusiasts, this moment marks the start of herping season—the time of year when people venture outdoors to observe reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitats. From qui
Apr 284 min read
In Defense of Snow: How All This White Stuff Is Actually Doing Your Garden a Favor
We here at Blue Stem Natives are pretty stoked about the snow this year but we get that not everyone shares our excitement. The calendar says spring is almost here. The seed catalogs are stacked by the couch. It feels like winter has lasted a decade. And yet…there is still snow on the ground. If you’re looking out the window wondering whether winter plans to personally spite you this year, you are not alone. Spring fever has officially set in across New England. But before w
Feb 174 min read
Growing Seedlings at Blue Stem
By mid-February, we start warming a small section of our greenhouse to get a jump start on the season. We don’t have a heated greenhouse, so instead we section off an area and use warming mats and a small heater as needed—just enough to take the chill off. We loosely follow the end of the “Persephone Period.” In Massachusetts, from November through mid-February, daylight drops below ten hours a day, which essentially halts plant growth. Rather than setting up extensive grow l
Feb 46 min read
Winter Birds are cool (...get it?)
When I was little I would watch my Scandinavian grandmother carefully wrapping each of the perches on her finch feeders with yarn before filling the feeder up for the winter. Around and around to "keep their little feet warm when they stop to eat". Do you need to wrap bird feeder perches in cozy yarn? Um, no. Even better would be to make plant choices that care for the birds. Although there are things that we can do to support our feathered friends year round (namely...plant
Dec 19, 20258 min read
Blue Stem Goes Mobile!
Follow along to see our newest project! We'll post updates here weekly. Blue Stem buys a horse trailer! We're currently restoring a used horse trailer we found on Facebook Marketplace—with plans to transform it into a mobile pop up plant shop . Follow along below for updates as the project comes to life. Interested in bringing our trailer to your area for a pop-up sale? We’re aiming to hit the road starting around August 1st. Whether it’s a garden club, library, school, or ot
Jul 1, 20252 min read
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