You can see that in the drawing above. Typically, the root system of Little Blue Stem (sixth from right) is a little over 6 feet deep and Purple Coneflower is roughly 5 feet deep. By comparison, the roots of Bermuda grass go less than a foot deep, and St.Augustine roots are about 2 inches deep - so they demand a lot of expensive water to stay green.
As you know, a Texas summer bakes the ground and kills shallow-rooted plants. But native plants have grown here naturally for centuries, without anyone watering or fertilizing them.
are
old birdnests re-used? Hardly ever! A very few cavity-nesting birds will re-use nests within the
same breeding season, even though there are real health dangers (tiny mite eggs may
have been brought in, which could hatch and infest nestlings). But ALL birds
will insist on finding (or making) new nests in subsequent seasons. That’s why I
strongly recommend removing old, empty nests and cleaning out empty birdhouses.
OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a
licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas
for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the
Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of
Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects,
National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton. (If you want an e-mail copy of the "roots" drawing, request it by e-mail)
