OPN Seed Order
Jan. 18th, 2026 05:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
birdfeedingToday we ordered seeds from OPN Seed. This completes my goal of making at least 2 catalog orders by the end of February. I still have more catalogs to go through, but I got two of the most important done. \o/
OPN Seed also offers a variety of bird-oriented seed mixes, along with other themes.
(This is my go-to mix for small lawn patches. For larger areas I mix it with other grass seed.)
Bee Lawn Mix
Our Bee Lawn Mix is for homeowners that want to plant an eco-friendly lawn alternative, but have height restrictions that would prevent them from planting some of our taller seed mixes. Whether it be urban or suburban, this mix of fescues, clovers and low growing, bee friendly flowers provide foraging, habitat and color to your landscape. Plant it in areas that receive at least 4 hours of sunlight a day.
This isn't a fescue mix with a little flower in it for show. This is a mix designed by the Prairie Guys with diverse flowering plants in your lawn at a dense rate with a direct correlation to support bees and other insects. Perfect for the hobby beekeeper or bee enthusiast! The fescues and clovers typically establish first, with the flowering species like Selfheal, Yaak Yarrow and Creeping Thyme filling in over time.
The average growth of the species in this mix is 6 to 12 inches. It can be mowed if desired, but let it go to get the full flowering effect! The clovers in the mix are legumes, meaning they are nitrogen-fixing and reduce the need for conventional fertilizers.
Contains the following species:
Festuca rubra - Creeping Red Fescue (Introduced)
Festuca trachyphylla - Hard Fescue (Introduced)
Trifolium repens - Dutch White Clover (Introduced)
Trifolium hybridum - Alsike Clover (Introduced)
Fescue ovina - Fescue (Introduced)
Prunella vulgaris - Healall - Common Selfheal (Introduced)
Trifolium repens "Pirouette" - White Micro Clover (Introduced)
Achillea millefolium - Yaak - Yaak Yarrow (Introduced)
Thymus serpyllum - Creeping Thyme (Introduced)
(This is a tallgrass species native to our locale.)
Andropogon gerardii - Big Bluestem
Big Bluestem also called "Turkey Foot " is known as "The King of the Prairie," the quintessential prairie grass. It is found on virtually all high quality prairie remnants.
In pristine prairie it composes anywhere from 40 to 60% or so of the plant biomass. Up to 60% of this plant is actually underground where its roots and rhizomes help increase soil fertility and water percolation, this makes it valuable as a soil stabilizer minimizing erosion.
Great habitat plant for upland game birds.
Found from the western side of the Rocky mountains to the east coast and from Florida north into Canada.
(This is a native species of medium to tall grass with pretty aerial heads.)
Panicum virgatum - Switch Grass
Switch Grass is a native perennial warm season bunch grass. It has been known to spread by a stiff short rhizomes. It typically grows from 3 to 6 feet in height. It has an open branched inflorescence on top of a stiff reddish to straw colored culm. It is adapted to a wide range of soil moistures but prefers a fairly well drained situation.
Found in prairies, along stream banks, lake shores, open Oak and Pine woodlands and brackish marshes in coastal areas. Found throughout the United States and Canada. Great for wildlife cover, Switch Grass is a main component of our Whitetail Deer Native Grass Bedding Mix.
(I haven't seen this before but it looks really useful. Most of my fall flowering is one kind of goldenrod; I'd love to get more diversity, especially with asters.)
Fall Pollinator Fuel Native Seed Mix
Fall is a very important time for pollinators. Monarchs are migrating and honey bees and native bees are storing up food for the long winter ahead. Our Fall Pollinator Fuel Mix contains the species that bloom in the fall and provide the maximum amount of forage (Goldenrod and Aster species) for these important insects. We've also added Partridge Pea, a great late summer annual that provides first year color while the perennial wildflowers establish.
Some things to remember:
This is a mix of mostly perennials wildflowers that will bloom in late summer and early fall once established.
This is a great booster mix to add to existing native plantings. Make sure to seed in areas where good seed to soil contact can be established.
Keep this standing tall all fall and winter long once it is done blooming. Native bees will nest in the hollow stems of these plants. Cut it back in the spring once it starts to green up.
Contains the following species:
Wildflowers:
Chamaecrista fasciculata - Partridge Pea
Dalea purpurea - Purple Prairie Clover
Echinacea purpurea - Purple Coneflower
Astragalus canadensis - Canadian Milk Vetch
Verbena hastata - Blue Vervain
Solidago rigida - Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago nemoralis - Old Field Goldenrod
Aster pilosus - Frost Aster
Vernonia fasciculata - Prairie Ironweed
Aster laevis - Smooth Aster
Solidago rugosa - Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod
Aster azureus - Sky Blue Aster
Solidago speciosa - Showy Goldenrod
Aster novae-angliae - New England Aster
OPN Seed also offers a variety of bird-oriented seed mixes, along with other themes.
(This is my go-to mix for small lawn patches. For larger areas I mix it with other grass seed.)
Bee Lawn Mix
Our Bee Lawn Mix is for homeowners that want to plant an eco-friendly lawn alternative, but have height restrictions that would prevent them from planting some of our taller seed mixes. Whether it be urban or suburban, this mix of fescues, clovers and low growing, bee friendly flowers provide foraging, habitat and color to your landscape. Plant it in areas that receive at least 4 hours of sunlight a day.
This isn't a fescue mix with a little flower in it for show. This is a mix designed by the Prairie Guys with diverse flowering plants in your lawn at a dense rate with a direct correlation to support bees and other insects. Perfect for the hobby beekeeper or bee enthusiast! The fescues and clovers typically establish first, with the flowering species like Selfheal, Yaak Yarrow and Creeping Thyme filling in over time.
The average growth of the species in this mix is 6 to 12 inches. It can be mowed if desired, but let it go to get the full flowering effect! The clovers in the mix are legumes, meaning they are nitrogen-fixing and reduce the need for conventional fertilizers.
Contains the following species:
Festuca rubra - Creeping Red Fescue (Introduced)
Festuca trachyphylla - Hard Fescue (Introduced)
Trifolium repens - Dutch White Clover (Introduced)
Trifolium hybridum - Alsike Clover (Introduced)
Fescue ovina - Fescue (Introduced)
Prunella vulgaris - Healall - Common Selfheal (Introduced)
Trifolium repens "Pirouette" - White Micro Clover (Introduced)
Achillea millefolium - Yaak - Yaak Yarrow (Introduced)
Thymus serpyllum - Creeping Thyme (Introduced)
(This is a tallgrass species native to our locale.)
Andropogon gerardii - Big Bluestem
Big Bluestem also called "Turkey Foot " is known as "The King of the Prairie," the quintessential prairie grass. It is found on virtually all high quality prairie remnants.
In pristine prairie it composes anywhere from 40 to 60% or so of the plant biomass. Up to 60% of this plant is actually underground where its roots and rhizomes help increase soil fertility and water percolation, this makes it valuable as a soil stabilizer minimizing erosion.
Great habitat plant for upland game birds.
Found from the western side of the Rocky mountains to the east coast and from Florida north into Canada.
(This is a native species of medium to tall grass with pretty aerial heads.)
Panicum virgatum - Switch Grass
Switch Grass is a native perennial warm season bunch grass. It has been known to spread by a stiff short rhizomes. It typically grows from 3 to 6 feet in height. It has an open branched inflorescence on top of a stiff reddish to straw colored culm. It is adapted to a wide range of soil moistures but prefers a fairly well drained situation.
Found in prairies, along stream banks, lake shores, open Oak and Pine woodlands and brackish marshes in coastal areas. Found throughout the United States and Canada. Great for wildlife cover, Switch Grass is a main component of our Whitetail Deer Native Grass Bedding Mix.
(I haven't seen this before but it looks really useful. Most of my fall flowering is one kind of goldenrod; I'd love to get more diversity, especially with asters.)
Fall Pollinator Fuel Native Seed Mix
Fall is a very important time for pollinators. Monarchs are migrating and honey bees and native bees are storing up food for the long winter ahead. Our Fall Pollinator Fuel Mix contains the species that bloom in the fall and provide the maximum amount of forage (Goldenrod and Aster species) for these important insects. We've also added Partridge Pea, a great late summer annual that provides first year color while the perennial wildflowers establish.
Some things to remember:
This is a mix of mostly perennials wildflowers that will bloom in late summer and early fall once established.
This is a great booster mix to add to existing native plantings. Make sure to seed in areas where good seed to soil contact can be established.
Keep this standing tall all fall and winter long once it is done blooming. Native bees will nest in the hollow stems of these plants. Cut it back in the spring once it starts to green up.
Contains the following species:
Wildflowers:
Chamaecrista fasciculata - Partridge Pea
Dalea purpurea - Purple Prairie Clover
Echinacea purpurea - Purple Coneflower
Astragalus canadensis - Canadian Milk Vetch
Verbena hastata - Blue Vervain
Solidago rigida - Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago nemoralis - Old Field Goldenrod
Aster pilosus - Frost Aster
Vernonia fasciculata - Prairie Ironweed
Aster laevis - Smooth Aster
Solidago rugosa - Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod
Aster azureus - Sky Blue Aster
Solidago speciosa - Showy Goldenrod
Aster novae-angliae - New England Aster
