On November 14, 2026, Aylus volunteers went to the Nissequogue greenhouse to assist the volunteer coordinator in removing seeds from the plants. The time was from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The volunteers began their work upon arriving at the greenhouse. This time, they needed to sort the seeds of Smooth blue aster (scientific name: *Symphyotrichum leave*) and Little bluestem (scientific name: *Schizachyrium scoparium*). First, they used their hands or a strainer to separate the Smooth blue aster seeds from the stems. A large box below collected the seeds, which were then packed into bags. After sorting all the Smooth blue aster seeds, the volunteers cleaned the strainer and box thoroughly with a brush to prevent any remaining seeds from being mixed up with the seeds of the next plant to be sorted. During the sorting process, it was important to note that some seeds were not yet mature and could not be planted, so the volunteers had to discard those that were clearly not fully grown. Also, there might be insects that eat seeds, so the volunteers needed to carefully inspect each Smooth blue aster plant for insects.
Finally, the volunteers had sorted out a large bag of Smooth blue aster seeds and half a bag of Little bluestem seeds. Although sorting the seeds is a relatively easy task, it’s an important part of the state park activities. Next spring, we can plant the seeds and take good care of them; one day, these seeds will grow into a beautiful landscape.
Reported by ：Yingxiang Liu
Mumber :
Yingxiang Liu (2.5 hours)
Lucas Kang (2.5 hours)
