Seed collecting continues (even in the rain)

The weather has been a bit unsettled, but restoration must proceed any way. Yesterday, we collected virginia wild rye (Elymus virginicus) in a mild drizzle. This grass is found in mesic to wet mesic habitats and has a moderately high coefficient of conservatistm (6).

At Pleasant Valley Conservancy a small native population developed in one of our restored savannas (Unit 18), and we collected seeds there and planted at other sites. When we planted the Crane Prairie in December 2005 we had enough seed to add this species to the mix. It developed well and is now fairly widely dispersed there among the much larger amounts of Indian grass. Most of our collecting was done there, although I did collect for a while at a savanna edge (Unit 20).

Collecting it is fairly easy, even in wet weather. The seeds strip right off the stem, and the small amounts of moisture on the heads did not cause any problems. Within less than an hour, four of us had essentially a bucket full of seeds.

Because the heads were wet, we spread them out on a couple of sleds and put them in front of a small gas space heater. Today, they are virtually dry.

Because the seeds strip so well, we will not need to hammer mill them (which we have done with the other Elymus species).

When collecting this species, you have to be sure to avoid collecting Canada wild rye instead. The two are fairly similar, but Canada wild rye has much longer awns. Once you see the two species side by side, you will have no trouble in telling them apart.

As an aside, we use quite a few childrens' sleds to dry seeds. These make nice drying stations, and they are lots easier to handle than large trays. Since we are not planting large acreages, they are perfect for our purposes. All of the sleds we use have come out of the trash by the side of the road. It is amazing how many sleds are tossed out by residents. Although many of these sleds are cracked or broken, a lot are still fine, and they make great drying racks.