Monarch Butterfly
Robin McKenzie, Master Gardener and principal designer for Rockbird Gardens, gave an outstanding presentation on Monday at the Ashland Garden Club meeting. Robin specializes in creating sustainable backyard ecosystems for wildlife, and for people. Monday she talked about “Planning and Growing a Butterfly Garden”, her talking points were:
• Research the items you need to attract butterflies
• Find a sunny garden location. ( 6-8 hrs of sun)
• Create a garden plan for your yard: flowerbeds, raised beds, and/or containers
• Know the timeline needed to create a garden
• Prepare the soil for your plants, add amendments, make sure you have good drainage
• Install borders and hardscape before you plant (*see mud-puddle below)
• Decide your plant choices: purchase and/or grow your plants, then plant according to their specific directions, don’t crowd your plants!
Butterfly Puddle
*Butterflies need water, so make them a mud puddle!
Use a shallow dish such as a plastic or terracotta plant saucer in a sunny area of your garden that is protected from the wind. Fill the bottom of the pan with sand, gravel, and a few small stones, add water to the dampen sand.
Host plants:
Attract more butterflies by having plants for larval food in your yard, for instance:
Milkweed
Milkweed for Monarchs
Tarragon for Swallowtails
Angelica for Anise Swallowtails
Violas for Great Spangled Great Spangled Fritillary
Note: Be prepared for heavy munching on these host plants, these plants are caterpillar food!
See list of host plants here:
http://nababutterfly.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/southwestern-Oregon-butterfly-garden-guide.pdf
And here….http://extension.oregonstate.edu/4hwildlifestewards/pdfs/butterfly.pdf
How to become a Certified monarch Butterfly Station: www.monarchwatch.org
Lecture was by Robin McKenzie www.rockbirdgardens.com
Monarch Butterfly image by Simon Koopmann on Wikimedia Commons
Submitted by: Carlotta Lucas