LAND MANAGEMENT FROM THE GROUND UP: TAKE A LOOK AROUND AND PLAY BY THE RULES WHEN PLANTING

by Beyrl Armstong, Co-founder, Plateau Land & Wildlife Management

In considering which plants are appropriate to be planted or removed from a property there are some hard and fast rules that must be followed. These rules are not devised by someone sitting behind a desk thinking of ways to complicate your lives. They have been established over thousands of years through natural selection. Plants live best where they have evolved. When we, with our ability to disobey the rules, start choosing from the broad palette that is available to us today we need to consider the rules of nature.

Soil Types
Most plants grow in soil. The type and depth of soil, its porosity, water retention capabilities as well as mineral and chemical makeup are crucial in choosing the right types of plants to put in the ground. The soils in the Hill Country are, by and large, shallow, tight (clayish), alkaline soils that only support very specifically adapted plants. In contrast, the soils north and west of Bastrop, only a few miles from Austin, are sandy, well drained and acidic, thereby supporting a population of loblolly pines.

I know of landowners who, having moved here from the Rockies, planted acidic sandy soil loving pines in the shallow alkaline clay of northern Blanco County. The pines all died, despite heroic efforts made to fertilize them. Had the landowners simply looked around the property they would have noticed that no pines were growing anywhere in the area. Wildlife Management Plans prepared by Plateau include a map and description of the soils found on a property and a list of plants that are appropriate for the area. These can be very valuable in planning and implementing brush and woodland management.

Weather
Some plants love the heat and flourish on hot dry hill sides; other plants are better suited for cool, shady creek sides. Freezing weather kills certain plants to the ground while "chilling hours" are required for other plants to flourish. Before going to the expense and effort of planting perennial plants, it is important to, once again, look around and see what is there. This is a good indication if plants will flourish in the specific environment that you are trying to enhance.

The Landowner's Notebook that accompanies each Plateau Wildlife Management Plan contains a recommended list of plants, which includes information on sun tolerance and climate that is appropriate for each species listed.

Water Needs
A plant's ability to deal with drought or, conversely, with moist soils, is also an important factor in determining its appropriateness in a specific portion of a property. Cedar (Ashe juniper) does not tolerate moist soils, Cedar Elms do. Lantana, agarito, and Texas persimmon are very drought tolerant plants, that's why they are found in abundance throughout the Hill Country. Big muhly grass and bushy bluestem will only grow in moist soil, that's why you often find them down slope from a pond or along shallow drainages. Observing the plants that are present in an area targeted for planting will help a landowner determine the water availability of the site. Using this information, in combination with the soil type and sun availability, Plateau clients can consult the plant list provided in the Landowner Notebook and make informed decisions on what and where to plant on their property.

Plants live best where they have evolved. Photo by Lee Kothmann.