Sheet 01 / Pollinator tract / Midland, Texas
A 28-acre plan with native West Texas flowers, grasses and host plants, then energized from below with biochar, Bokashi and Kiko mineral water conditioning.
Sheet 02 / Site plan, 28 acres, about 1,100 ft square
Select a zone on the plan to see what goes in it and how the soil is prepared.
Sheet 03 / Planting schedule
Every species here grows wild in West Texas and the southern plains, so it handles 100 °F summers, wind and about 15 in. of rain a year without coddling.
Engelmannia peristenia
Early nectar for native bees and butterflies
Apr–Jun
1–2 ft · Drift
Melampodium leucanthum
Long bloom on rocky, dry ground; native bees
Apr–Oct
0.5–1 ft · Drift
Asclepias asperula
Monarch host plant, nectar for butterflies and bees
Apr–Jul
1–2 ft · Core
Asclepias viridis
Second monarch host plant, blooms as spring migrants return
May–Aug
1–2 ft · Core
Gaillardia pulchella
Nectar for bees and butterflies; reseeds itself
May–Aug
1–2 ft · Core
Monarda citriodora
Bumble bees and hummingbird clearwing moths
May–Jul
1–2 ft · Bed
Salvia farinacea
Long bloom, native bees and hummingbirds
May–Oct
2–3 ft · Bed
Dalea purpurea
Specialist and generalist bees; fixes nitrogen
Jun–Aug
1–2 ft · Core
Liatris punctata
Late butterfly magnet; taproot over 10 ft deep
Aug–Oct
1–2 ft · Drift
Helianthus maximiliani
Fall fuel for monarchs and honey bees
Aug–Oct
3–8 ft · Border
Conoclinium greggii
Fall monarch magnet during the migration
Aug–Oct
1–2 ft · Border
Sheet 05 / Soil & water systems
Three inputs, each with a job: biochar holds moisture and microbes, Bokashi feeds the soil life, and a mineral conditioner treats the water that reaches the plot.
Carbon
Raw biochar is a sponge that can pull nutrients out of the soil at first. Charge it before it goes in: soak it in diluted Bokashi liquid or finished compost tea for a week or two, then work it into the top 4–6 in. where roots will reach it.
Biology
Bokashi is fermented kitchen or garden waste, not finished compost. Bury it in a closed bin or trench for 2–4 weeks to pre-compost, then mix it into the soil a few weeks before planting so it does not burn roots or tie up nitrogen.
Water
Kiko Technology is a Hong Kong company that makes mineral water conditioners from volcanic material processed in Japan. The company says its units restructure water, release far-infrared energy and strengthen hydrogen bonding. Those are the manufacturer’s claims; independent peer-reviewed evidence for garden results is limited, so treat it as an experiment.
Native prairie plants evolved on poor, well-drained ground. Too much richness gives you floppy growth, fewer flowers and a weed problem. Apply amendments thinly, concentrate them in the milkweed core and beebalm and sage bed, and leave the grass edge and fall border mostly alone.
Sheet 04 / Bloom succession
Bloom windows are typical for West Texas and shift with spring and summer rains. Monarchs pass through in April–May and again in September–October, when the fall border feeds the migration.
Sheet 06 / Establishment
Many native seeds need a cool, damp spell to break dormancy. At 28 acres, drill-seed from November to February and let the winter do the stratifying for you. Plugs, where used, go in during spring or early fall.
Year 1
Sleep
Roots grow, tops barely do. Mow to 6–8 in. whenever weeds reach about 12 in. so seedlings get light. Expect almost no flowers.
Year 2
Creep
Early bloomers appear. Mow once in early summer if weeds persist, and spot-treat thistle and kochia.
Years 3–5
Leap
Full bloom and the dense root mass that shuts weeds out. Cut or burn-mimic once a year in late winter and leave stems standing until then.
Sheet 07 / Bill of materials
| Item | Quantity | Per acre | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiko pellets | 168 | $/ each | $840.00 | |
| Kiko infused mineral water conditioner | 140 oz | oz | $/ gal | $109.38 |
| Bokashi | 28 gal | gal | $/ gal | $2,800.00 |
| Native wildflower seed (estimate) | 56 lb | lb | $/ lb | $1,960.00 |
| Total | $5,709.38 | |||
Planning estimates, not a quote. Change the acreage, the per-acre rates or the prices and everything recalculates. Conditioner is measured in ounces but priced by the gallon (128 oz); shipping and tax are not included.
Sheet 08 / Notes
Very little. Prairie plants spend their first seasons building roots, and most reach full bloom in years 3–5. Plugs give you some color sooner than seed.
Sheet 09 / Get in touch
Soil type, sun, slope, what is there now. A few lines is enough to start a conversation about your plot.