On 2/14/2026, Aylus volunteers went to a greenhouse in LINPI for collecting and planting seeds from 9:30am to 12:00am. Since there is still a lot of remaining snow, Aylus volunteers are working in a greenhouse today. After putting on gloves for protection, the volunteers started to collect seeds of Indian grass plants. The seeds are tiny, have fluffs on them, and are in large amounts on one side the Indian grass, which need a special treatment to be collected: the plants are put on a strainer and the seeds go through the strainer with the assistance of a brush. Finally, the empty stems are collected into a box to be removed. The seeds are collected in a fabric bag and will be planted. Another group of volunteers are dealing with soil filling. We were filling in trays of small containers reused to avoid contamination and waste. The soil from bags is mixed with water and put on a big table. After the containers are filled, seeds are placed on top of the soil. For smaller seeds like button bush seeds, 3 seeds are placed; for larger seeds like butterfly milkweed, only 2 seeds are placed. Since some seeds aren’t so obvious because of their color, it’s important to pay attention and keep in mind which row you are on. Finally, a plastic tag is inserted into the soil for one finished tray.
Many of the seeds produced and collected in LINPI are transported to other state parks when it gets warmer, which is helpful for the environment. The plants grown also provide shelter and food for many native animals.
Members who participated include:
Yingxiang Liu (2.5h),
Yuya Liu (2.5h),
Felicia Liu (2.5h),
Lukang He (2.5h),
Annabella Kang (2.5h),
Lucas Kang (2.5h),
Kyle Zheng (2.5h)
Reporter: Felicia Liu
