Patton back on screen with more dirt on native plants

Stephanie Patton of the Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club recently appeared on a television segment to highlight the benefits of native plants in Mississippi Delta landscapes and to share simple propagation techniques for home gardeners.

“These are a match made in heaven,” Patton said, referring to native plants’ ability to thrive with minimal care. “They’re already acclimated to the Mississippi Delta.”

Among the species she recommended planting now were black-eyed Susans, milkweed, American beauty berry and bald cypress.

She demonstrated how to propagate plants using cuttings, potting soil and powdered root stimulator, or by placing clippings in water with a liquid rooting solution.

Patton noted that bald cypress trees are especially well-suited to the region’s wet, low-lying areas and can grow to impressive sizes.

“They love wet feet,” she said. “An oldest one, over a thousand years old, can be found just south of Belzoni.”