Determining Habitat

A habitat is the environment in which a species grows best. Habitat is made up of light levels, soil moisture and soil type. Knowing what the habitat of the space you want to plant is very helpful for picking the right plant and giving it the best chance at survival.

Moisture Level

Moisture level is determined by a combination of soil type, topography, and water sources. You may need to get your hands dirty to find out the soil moisture. Grab the shovel and dig a couple holes.

What is Dry?

In the world of native plants in the Midwest, “Dry” means very sandy or gravelly soil that is extremely well drained. Well drained is indicated by a lack of any standing water during or after a rain event. The surface of the soil dries out quickly within a day or two of dry sunny weather, even after a heavy rain . The soil will have a distinctive light to reddish sandy color, rather than the dark-brown to black of more organically rich soils. Native habitats that would be considered dry are Sandy Oak/Pine Barrens and Woodlands, Sand Prairies, and steep rocky bluffs and hillsides.

What is Mesic/Medium?

Medium soils, sometimes referred to as mesic, contain a moderate amount of moisture. Again, for native plants in the midwest it basically means your average garden dirt or topsoil. It can be black dirt or clay soil that is fairly well-drained. Any standing water left after a rain will disappear in hours to a day or two. But the soil will likely stay moderately moist for days or even weeks, except during periods of extended drought or excessive rainfall. In mesic habitats rainfall is usually the only source of moisture. Typical native mesic habitats are Tall-grass Prairie and Maple Forests.

What is Moist or Wet?

Soils classified as moist or wet remain moist all year regardless of rainfall amounts. This can be due to either excessively poor drainage and/or some other fairly consistent source of water such as proximity to a lake, river, or groundwater. They can be any soil type from peat to wet sand. If the area transitions from wet to standing water for any extended period of time it significantly alters your options of what to plant. Generally referred to as Wetlands, moist to wet habitats can be a diverse and closely associated mix of river and lake edges, swamp, marsh, and seepages.

Soil Type and Why Does it Matter?

Soil type, more than anything, determines drainage. It makes the difference between Dry habitats (well-drained, sandy soils) and Mesic habitats (moderately-drained, loam or clay soils). Exceptionally poor drainage can create wetlands, as with the presence of a semi-impermeable layer of clay that holds water at or below the soil surface. This phenomenon can even create permanent wetlands well above the water table with no external source of water besides rain.

The best way to determine your soil type is to touch it, roll it in your hands and rub it between your fingers.

Sandy Soil

Sandy soils in our area can usually be characterized by a light beige to rusty red color. When dry it has very little structure, meaning it will basically run through your fingers, or flow, rather than clumping together. When walked or driven on sandy soils can easily shift and become dislodged, so vegetation growing on sandy soils is easily disturbed and very sensitive to foot and vehicle traffic. Sandy soils are not very good at supporting healthy lawns. The grass is often sparse and goes dormant (brown) quickly in the heat of summer.

Loamy Soils

Loamy soils are usually associated with Mesic habitats. They are typically brown (especially when dry) to black (especially when moist). This is due to a higher presence of organic matter as compared to sandy or clay soil. When dry, loam soils are crumbly and break apart into small clumps. When moist you could form a ball of it in your hands and it will stay together like a snowball. When walking on it it will remain firm under your feet and not shift or be displaced unless wet. Most functional and well-established lawns fall into this category, at least the top few inches.

Clay Soils

Clay soils are often a gardeners worst nightmare, but many native plants can handle them just fine. They are usually associated with Mesic to Wet habitats because of their ability to hold water internally (like a sponge) and prevent water from draining through them. If an area of clay soil has good surface drainage (meaning rainwater can readily run off to a lower elevation), and rainwater is the primary source of moisture, this will create a Mesic habitat. If water collects in the area and can’t readily flow off the surface, then it may become a moist to wet habitat. Clay soils are often reddish or gray in color, can be crumbly or very hard when dry, and often remain in large chunks when dug. When moist they can be shaped and formed like sculpture’s or potter’s clay, and have an oddly slippery and sticky texture.

Light Levels

The best way to determine the amount a light a spot gets is to observe that spot several times a day. Take note of trees or structures that may block the suns rays. And note what time of day this blockage may happen. Remember the sun moves during the day so light level change change.

What is Full Sun?

What is Part Sun/ Part Shade?

What is Full Shade?

What "Habitat" is a Raingarden?

This category also includes retention basins and any other depression created to hold excess rain-water runoff from hard surfaces such as roofs and parking lots. Because they are an artificial construct with abnormally fluctuating water levels, it is difficult to match them with any distinct native habitat. A Rain Garden could be classified as anything from dry to wet depending on location, soil type, and overall design and installation technique.

The best way to determine which plants are best for your rain garden or retention basin is by having the installer contact a specialist within your county’s conservation department, university extension office, the DNR, or a private consultant.

Otherwise, if you’re on your own the best information you can gather to help us help you is to keep track of how deep the water gets in your rain garden after a substantial rain and how long the water remains visibly standing in the garden. For rain gardens in general we try to choose plants that are highly adaptable and can tolerate a wide variety of soil moisture conditions. This will usually cover everything except the driest and wettest rain gardens. Soil type will largely determine which plants are best for your rain garden. And keep in mind that the upper edges of your rain garden may require different plants than the bottom.

Dragonfly Gardens

Determining Habitat

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