by Megan Hart, Park Biologist

If you are looking for a fun project to help out wildlife at home, consider planting a pollinator garden with native plants. Pollinator gardens typically consist of a variety of native plants that bloom throughout the growing season and provide food and habitat for wildlife like butterflies, moths, bees, and birds. These gardens become important food sources in areas that are low in native wildflower diversity and habitat. Depending on the native plants used in a pollinator garden, some gardens become important monarch butterfly waystation habitats, which provide milkweed plants for monarch caterpillars to feed on and nectar from other flowering plants for their fall migration. Pollinator gardens are also beautiful with a variety of blooming wildflowers that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. 

Eastern tiger swallowtail on purple coneflower

It may seem strange to talk about pollinator gardens with colder days on the way, but there is no better time to start a pollinator garden than the first chilly days of autumn. Most native plant species in Ohio are adapted to spread their seeds after the growing season ends in the fall. Over winter, cold soil is needed for many wildflowers to successfully germinate and bloom on time. When we plant pollinator patches in the fall, we mimic the natural seeding process that happens every year. Plus, it can be one more fun project to complete before winter sets in. 

There are many great native plants to choose for a pollinator garden. The best seed mixes have a variety of plants that bloom from spring to fall to provide nectar throughout the growing season. A great early blooming plant to have is Ohio spiderwort, which has beautiful blue to purple petals and is considered a great hardy plant to add to a pollinator garden. For summer flowers, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflower, butterfly milkweed, and common milkweed are fan favorites for their hardiness, showy blooms, and ability to draw in butterflies. Milkweeds have the added benefit of being the host plants for the monarch butterfly caterpillar. A couple of great later blooming flowers are partridge pea and bergamot (also known as bee balm). Both plants are used frequently by a wide variety of bees and butterflies; and bergamot has the additional benefit of attracting hummingbirds. You can purchase pollinator seed mixes at a variety of local garden and farm supply stores or online native seed vendors found here in Ohio. 

Spiderwort

When you are ready to plant your seed mix, there are a few things to take into consideration. It’s best to pick an area that gets around six hours of sunlight a day and is not too wet throughout the year. After you have picked the spot, remove any existing vegetation until there is nothing but bare ground. Try to pick a day to scatter your seeds when the ground is not too wet and preferably after there has been one or two heavy frosts to cool the soil. The seeds need to be scattered as evenly as possible over the planting site and then covered in no more than 1/8 inch of soil. 

Partridge pea

Congratulations! Your pollinator planting will take care of itself until spring. If you notice weeds or grass, simply hand pull them but be careful not to pull any of your pollinator plants. After that, sit back and enjoy your plantings and the wonderful wildlife they attract throughout the year. If planting a pollinator garden has been in the back of your mind, take advantage of the fall season and prepare for spring!

Ruby-throated hummingbird visiting bergamot (bee balm)

If you are interested in visiting a pollinator garden, check out Penitentiary Glen Reservation’s pollinator garden outside of the Nature Center and the Environmental Learning Center’s native wildflower planting during the summer.