Welcome newbie in nj. The first year is one of questions and wondering if this is going to REALLY work. I have had such good germination and growth through wintersowing that my problem is too many seedlings so this last time I sowed thinly for those that I expected to HOS. If I wanted 4-6 plants and the seed isn't tiny I sowed 9-12 seeds per milk jug and even then had more seedlings than needed. I place 2-3 seeds in a 2L if I want 1 tomato/pepper seedling. I keep some seed as a back up plan. Perhaps the seedling got eaten by critters after it was planted out, or stepped on, or the first container didn't germinate, or seedling got frosted. Maybe I will want more of those seedlings another year and wasn't able to collect seed. Then I still have some seed to try again. I do not sow multiple containers unless I want lots of that plant. Haven't needed two containers of sprouts or two containers which didn't sprout. If I'm not sure if I should winter sow or wait until spring then I will winter sow and if they haven't germinated by spring I might sow another container then. As for spacing, many of us ignore all spacing requirements not only when sowing but also when planting out. With HOS it doesn't matter if the spacing is as stated. The strongest seedling will survive or a clump of seedlings will grow. I think having so many seedlings encourages us to plant them closer together with intermingling lush plantings resulting. Most seeds can be stored for many years. Search "storing seeds" here or on the seed collecting and other sites for more discussion on how others store seeds and for germination tests. I use seeds for years. Germination is sometimes lower but I still have too many seedlings. My tomato seeds still germinate well after four years. I don't know what "raw seed" is in referring to grass. I sow a shallow gallon pot lightly with grass seed. Then plant out as a clump or divide into two or four clumps. Little Bluestem doesn't get all that tall. Big Bluestem gets much taller. I love the multiple colors shading Little Bluestem. Bunny Tails looked great planted as one clump. Have fun and remember that you can always sow more seed in the spring, in the summer, in the fall or the next winter. I have family who spend their time in Clifton or on a farm in NY. In which part of NJ are you located? Bobbie

Sujiwan, Just FYI, what had been Kentucky Seed Savers is now called the Appalachian Heirloom Seed Conservancy, both to reflect it's broader mission (which is to preserve the heirloom food plants and sustainable agricultural practices of central Appalachia), and to prevent any confusion over its relationship with Seed Savers Exchange. There are several other things you can do, in addtion to some of the suggestions above. First, if you are not already a member, you should join SSE. There are then several things you can do. First, although it's a time-consuming job, actually read all the listings for veggie types that interest you. You'll often discover that they originated in your region, or are grown by other members from that region. I uncovered many Kentucky heirlooms that way when I first started specializing in them. Second, look at the member data. There are, for instance, a dozen listed members from Maryland. If you contact them about what you are looking for they might have suggestions to offer, even if they're not growing those particular varieties themselves. Keep in mind, too, that just because a variety didn't originate in your region doesn't mean it won't thrive there. And the best source of information about those varieties is other growers in the region. Another approach is to post your requirements on the specific forums that apply here at GW. For instance, if your looking for tomatoes, try the Tomato Growing forum. If peppers interest you, post on the Hot Pepper forum. Or even on the Vegetable Growing forum. Lot's of well-informed folks post on each of them, and I have no doubt you can find out about varieties you want from them. Also keep in mind that "muggy, buggy, and variable" refers to a good part of the east coast, and many inland areas as well. Virginia and the Carolinas, for example, have pretty much the same conditions as Maryland; as do New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania. And both Kentucky and Tennesse can be described a lot of ways, but dry, bug free, and consistent are not among them.

Greetings, Glad to hear that you are moving away from mowing. You are doing the right thing by getting rid of invasive plants first. If this were my project, I would do it this way. 1. Establish the area that is being planted. Flag any good natives that you do not wish to kill. 2. Spray everything with glyphosate (Round-Up). I know people are against herbicides sometimes, but consider that this could potentially be the last time that the area will ever need to be sprayed. Ever. Plus, applying herbicide to an area a couple times is a lot better for the environment than using gas to mow it every week. 3. If you start spraying now, you should get a good kill by fall. I would spray a couple times at least to get a good kill. Make sure all the tough bad guys really are dead. Hand pulling weeds work, but is way too labor intensive unless you have a lot of free time. Save your energy for weed control the first year after planting. 4. At the end of Fall, work up the soil lightly. Not a deep till as it will only stir up weed seeds. if you can work it about 2-3 inches it would be more than enough. Some areas may not till easily. Just rough up the soil if you can't till it. 5. As winter sets in, you will want to plant your seeds. Mix the seeds with a sawdust or tree shavings (sold at farm supply stores. Hamster bedding or sand also works). Spread it evenly over the planting area. The sawdust acts as an aid to help show you what is planted and to promote even coverage. 6. The winter snow and freezing-thawing periods will work the seed into the ground. They will come up without fail in Spring. Trust me, I have done this with a number of areas on my property and it works very well with everything except some of the grasses. For more info on this google "Frost Seeding Prairie" 7. In the first year you will have a lot of weeds come up with your seeds. Do not panic. This is natural. Keep the meadow to about 6" Most of the flowers will not get taller than that the first year. The best time to cut weeds back is when they are blooming. You can also pull them out if you have time. Do this until Fall. The second year you should not have to do anything except spot treat weedy areas by trimming, pulling, or reseeding. Meadows require mowing once a year once established. This is done in early Spring before they start growing. Mow it to the ground (as low as possible). If possible, remove all clippings with a bagger or a rake. Removing the clippings allows the sun to heat the soil and thus heat it quicker. This in turns promotes meadow plants over invasive cool season plants. It also usually results in a better looking meadow. Some people suggest leaving some of lain last years growth up for nesting material for birds, but the choice is up to you. As for seed...why not collect your own? Fall is a great time of year to collect seed. I usually collect as much as I can on my own and then buy whatever else I want to plant. Seed companies usually charge quite a bit for meadow seed, but if you want to go on the cheap, figure out a list of low-growing plants that you like and then just buy those in bulk. I don't like to spend a lot of seed, so here is a short list of awesome plants that do not cost very much and are easy to get established. Black Eyed Susan Yellow Coneflower Purple Coneflower Lanceleaf Coreopsis False Sunflower Little Bluestem Indiangrass (taller, more aggressive, but very pretty. don't plant too much) Brown Eyed Susan Smooth Penstemon Butterflyweed Cupplant (best flower for birds)

I am not sure there really is a grass native to the eastern seaboard that would make a good low lawn. There are several that could make a slightly taller lawn. For example, I have seen nice stands of Little Bluestem (a native grass) that are regularly mown to about 4 inches high and look nice all summer, turning a nice fall red/yellow color, then a rather colorful hay color all winter. I don't know if Little Bluestem would survive being mowed to a couple of inches as typical lawns are, but with the mower on its highest setting, you could have an interesting and native lawn. I am not sure how it would stand up to heavy foot traffic, but should be fine with the sort of occassional traffic that most lawns receive. A sort-of-native choice is Buffalo Grass, which is native to parts of the western US, but not to the east. Buffalo Grass is available commercially for lawns, and Little Bluestem seed is also available.