May 2026 Update

Planting on slopes is a little tricky but a great way to stabilize hillsides.  Please see the article at the bottom of this update and share as widely as possible.

More mini-grants for invasive plant control in Fairfax/Falls Church! Thirteen communities are just finishing up a round of mini-grants to jumpstart long-term management plans for their common land. Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM is excited to announce another round of mini-grants to community associations and faith communities. Apply now for a site visit by an experienced volunteer, which is the first step in the process. Find that request form here and the details of the mini-grant process on the Fairfax PRISM website.

Zoom presentation and Q&A to learn more: May 14, 7:30 pm. Register here  to receive the Zoom link.

Brochures, stickers, and small signs promoting native trees and plants can be ordered on our Campaign Materials page. We are eager to get them out there, and there  is no charge for these materials (though donations are always appreciated, since they are paid for by the people who have donated to Plant NOVA Natives.)

News from Prince William - In April 2026, Keep Prince William Beautiful, with support from volunteers from Amazon and Carter's Mill, planted 32 native trees and removed invasive plants for a community beautification project at the Carter's Mill neighborhood in Haymarket, Virginia.

Weed Warrior training for federal properties - If you would like to be authorized to work independently removing invasive plants on federal properties including GW Memorial Parkway, Manassas Battlefield, and Meadowood, now is your chance. This training is only held once a year. 

•  A virtual session on Wednesday, May 13 from 6-9 pm   PRISM Weed Warrior Training Registration Link

• An in-person field session at a participating park, most taking place on the morning of Saturday, May 16

Upcoming native plant sales. The sellers come to a neighborhood near you! See the details on our website.

Saturday, May 2

• Teaching Garden at St Benedict Monastery Plant Sale, Bristow

• Friends of Runnymede Park, Herndon

• Town of Vienna Conservation and Sustainability Commission Native Plant Sale

• Walker Nature Center Spring Festival, Reston

• Clifton Institute Native Plant Sale, Warrenton

Sunday, May 3

• Robinson Nature Center Plant Palooza, Columbia, MD

Friday-Sunday, May 8-10

• Blandy Garden Fair at Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce

​​​​​​​​​​Saturday, May 9

• Ayr Hill Garden Club – Annual Plant Sale Pickup, Vienna

Saturday, May 16

• Green Spring Gardens Spring Plant Sale, Alexandria 

Saturday, June 6

• Gardenfest at Belle Grove Plantation, Middletown 

Upcoming events  

• May 13, 7 pm. Online. Alonso Abugattas will discuss the interdependence of natural resources, including humans. Register here.

• Saturdays mornings to maintain the garden at Merrimac Farm for local wildlife, especially pollinator species.  Focus on promoting native plants in the garden and removing invasive plants.  Email alliance@pwconserve.org by noon the Friday before to join.

Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day are coming! A native tree would be a great gift. But if you have no room for one yourself, you could give a certificate for a Gift of Trees, and five trees will be planted in the recipient’s name. All proceeds will go to Plant NOVA Natives. Straight donations are more than welcome, too! :) 

Report your native tree and shrub plantings

Please help Northern Virginia meet its tree-planting obligations by reporting your tree and shrub plantings here. So far 21,502 have been reported!

Report your tree rescues

Millions of trees in Northern Virginia are at risk from invasive non-native vines. You can help by saving them on your own land or by volunteering on public land. So far, 24,059 tree rescues have been reported in Northern Virginia. Please add your report here.  In Fairfax/Falls Church, please report here instead.

Next Steering Committee meeting – May 28, 10am-noon via videoconferencing. All are welcome. Check our Event Calendar for future meetings.

This month’s newsletter articles to share. For social media, please use this link. 

Plant the Slant: Tips for Gardening on Slopes 

By Eileen Ellsworth

Depending on its position and angle, planting a slope isn’t always easy. But the rewards can be considerable. When your work is done and your slope face is filled with new colorful, water-absorbing, soil-retaining natives, it’s a tremendous feeling of pride and accomplishment. Your garden will display like a picture on a wall.

Erosion is, of course, the main issue. There’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” plan for slope gardening. Slope contours, angles, sun exposure, water flow, and soil health all differ. And for sharply angled slopes, landscape engineering strategies like check dams and terracing may be necessary for erosion control. But for most slopes, native plants are all that are needed. Their deep and extensive root systems interrupt the chain of events that cause erosion, and once established, they attract local wildlife to boot.

Remember there is no need to tackle the entire slope at once. Get started on just one section and see how it goes with these steps:

1. Identify the existing native trees, shrubs, and plants on your slope, and leave them be. Use iNaturalist, Picture This, or some other tool to help you. You will plant around and between them, which is helpful. Their existing structure offers a frame to fill, and their shade will help the new plants establish themselves and better survive the summer heat.  

2. Identify the non-natives and remove them, then amend the soil with some compost and perhaps new topsoil depending on the extent of erosion.

3. Purchase new native plants. For best results, choose plants that spread quickly, have broad leaves to catch the rain, and a strong winter presence. Also, slopes are drier than flat plots because of their drainage, and moisture down a slope occurs at a gradient. They tend to be drier at the top and moister towards the bottom, so consider some drought-tolerant plants in your purchase.

4. Plant everything and then mulch. While mulching is never ideal in that it tamps down native plant spread as well as weeds, natives take their time getting established. First year they “sleep”, next year they “creep”, third year they “leap.” Mulch will help protect your plants until they’ve “leaped” sufficiently to cover the ground and grip the soil.

5. Water your plants frequently, especially in July and August. They won’t make it through the first year without enough water. A soaker hose is one way to keep the water from just running off.

6. As the season progresses, revisit your plan. Perhaps add duplicates of plants in early autumn that did especially well.

Here are some additional resources for your consideration:

• The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District offers an excellent list of erosion control plants here. 

• Plant NOVA Natives has a webpage dedicated to erosion control and suggested plants here.  

• Request a free site visit from the Wildlife Sanctuary Program of the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance and ask for suggestions.