Dr. Alison Northup, owner of Piedmont Plants Nursery, will discuss collecting and processing seeds. Join us to learn about growing native plants from seed, collecting and processing seeds, and how to coax them to germinate. Alison will go over a simple winter sowing method which works for most native plant species, and we will have materials on hand for you to try it yourself.
Dr. Northup is going to talk about the elements that make seeds germinate. The program will include a hands-on activity. Attendees will sow their own seeds in Alison's favorite set-up: lasagna trays with lids. Dr. Northup will provide Lobelia cardinalis seeds - they are super fertile and people will have success with them. Small-sized lasagna trays will be provided, as well as peat-based soil mix and seeds.
Alison Northup first studied mathematics and had a successful career as an actuary before completing a doctorate in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in plant ecology. She is a board member of the North Carolina Native Plant Society and is busy starting Piedmont Plants Nursery, a native plant nursery that will open in Spring, 2024 in Rural Hall, NC.