In July with the help of a large number of volunteers led by Nick Cokonis, we planted Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’) and Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’) grasses on the top of the banks.
Both grasses are prairie grasses that are recognized in the category of “warm season grasses” known for their long roots to control erosion and their drought tolerance. These were chosen to protect the embankment from erosion and for their color in the fall to add more interest to the park.
Save The Bay generously donated over 400 plugs of Switchgrass to our planting effort to help patch in spotty growth in existing Switchgrass stands and to control erosion. They are all native plants used where the soil is dry and nutrient deficient.
