Gardening for butterflies and other pollinators was one of the most common responses In a survey Growing a Greener World sent out to our email subscribers, as one of their most important gardening goals in the upcoming year. Many responded that they planned on creating a butterfly or pollinator garden soon and would like more information on how to attract and protect them.
Additionally, many people wanted to know more about how to attract and raise monarchs specifically.
The image on the homepage of our website for this episode shows one of the most-loved and most threatened butterflies – the monarch. The image also shows one of the most problematic plants that butterflies are attracted to (along with many other pollinators). It’s buddleia, or commonly known as butterfly bush. While it is indeed beautiful and commonly found in many home landscapes, it is now considered highly invasive in many parts of the country.
Based on those replies we created this episode. However, we can only skim the surface in what amounts to about 22 minutes of information. Fortunately, there is a wealth of good information online and in books. We were fortunate to have several knowledgeable experts work with us during the creation of this show. One was Kylee Baumle. Her newly released book; The Monarch – Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly is a great resource to learn more about monarchs and their plight. You can order it in the link below.
Thanks also to Dennis Krusac, Endangered Species Specialist with the U.S Forest Service, Jackie Belwood, Ph.D. – Georgia Highlands College, Kim Pegram, Ph.D., Insect Ecologist Specialist – Desert Botanical Garden and Krista, Felicity and Faith Ferguson for the great home video segment.
You may also want to watch our episodes on:
Episode 620 – Bringing Nature Home with Doug Tallamy
Episode 610 – Bringing Native Bees Back
Episode 604 – Creating Certified Wildlife Habitats
Episode 526 – Birds and Blooms; A Gardener’s Guide to Backyard Birding
About the raised bed DIY project
The blocks and composite boards that Joe used in the DIY raised bed project in this show can be purchased at Home Depot (and likely Lowes, etc.). Although we did not personally purchase them, we were told the supplies came from there.
Additional Resources
American Beauties Native Plants – A good line of native plants selected for each growing region of the country
Kylee Baumle’s book: The Monarch; Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly
The Xerces Society book: Gardening for Butterflies (an excellent and trusted resource we have used multiple times in researching information for this episode and others)
The Xerces Society Guide: Attracting Native Pollinators – Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies (another great resource from a trusted source we have used often for reference)
The Xerces Society Pollinator-friendly plant lists for each region (The Xerces Society is a great one-stop go-too resource for information related to beneficial insects and pollinators)
Attracting Butterflies and the plants their caterpillars need (from National Wildlife Federation)
Native Plants to Attract Butterflies – The Missouri Botanical Garden
Creating a Butterfly Garden – University of Minnesota Extension
Desert Botanical Garden spring butterfly exhibit
Hello Joe! We watch your show on PBS every chance we get. This episode inspired my husband, Bob, and me to become part of Monarch Watch and after several decades of growing many native flowers we are now a certified way-station. Yippee! We continue to watch, learn and research as time passes. Our plan is to begin tagging butterflies next year in 2019. It is thanks to “Growing a Greener World”! We enjoy the inspirational insights to growing our own food and in addition to this episode the one on growing better tomatoes in limited space (with Craig LeHoullier) has opened up new ideas to try in our vegetable space too. Thank you for the superior quality of your program.
Wow! Serendipity, for sure. Last night I dug out a 4×4 area of junk weeds and tall grasses at the end of my driveway. I have to do it every year and at 80 years old (and female) the question is “what can I do to end this nightmare for good?” This morning I clicked on the TV and there you are discussing a grand solution. A butterfly bed. YES. I can handle that. I did not see the first part so I came to the computer to find you and segment #804. Next stop-Home Depot. I cannot thank you enough. You are my new hero and I will go through all of your videos. Needless to say that I am now an avid viewer of Growing a Greener World. Pardon the pun but Joe, you rock.
WOW! Segment #804 (butterflies) was so captivating and right on time for me. Last night I had dug out a space about 4×4 of really junk grass and weeds at the end of my driveway. Next question was “what to do with it” as it just grows back every year. This morning I clicked on the TV and there you are discussing my solution. I had missed the first portion, so I had to find your videos on the computer to see all of it. Serendipity for sure, since I have never seen your shows before. Thank you Joe. You are my new hero and my go to show on a regular basis from now on. Home depot here I come.
Thanks, Judith. Gotta love serendipity!
Enjoy the programs very much.
Discovered today that a Dill plant has 11 caterpillars on it and eating.
I identified the caterpillar to be the larvae of a Black Swallowtail.
What can I do to help and protect them so they reach maturity?
Not much Ken. The biggest risk will be birds. It can be very disappointing to try and wait it out, hoping to see these beautiful caterpillars mature. But alas, nature often has different plans. That said, If you wanted to move them, along with plenty of their food source, into a netted environment to form their cocoons and eventually mature, you can do that and there is a lot of information and products you can find online to help you with that. I know a few minutes with google and youtube on this subject will provide a lot of additional information should you choose to go this route. Good luck!
I`m a big fan! Love all of the episodes and I`m so thrilled what would I learn on the next one! Keep going with the good job and big thanks!
I am a fan! Your show has inspired me so much! I grew my first tomatoes last year in five gallon buckets but am interested in the black gardening bags you mentioned in the episode Epic Tomatoes. I was able to grow and harvest a few tomatoes and want more. I made many mistakes and learned a lot. I plan to try again this year and am planning on starting a Butterfly Garden this year as well. Your episode Gardening for Butterflies & Other Beneficial Insects has inspired me. As I live in the migratory path of the Monarch here in Texas I want to do my part to help them! I also want to see these wonderful Insects in my back yard while picking my tomatoes! I have purchased both books The Monarch: Saving Our Most Loved Butterfly by Kylee Baumle and Epic Tomatoes by Craig LeHoullier. Thank you for what you do! I am learning so much!!
Love love love your show. I tape them and watch them over and over! I was wondering about a show that would teach us what to do to start from scratch. If you move into a house(about 1/2 acre, fenced with a cyclone fence ( ugly but protects my pups from cyotes etc) with a lot of open space. Where do you start? I did create one bed outside my kitchen window with crepe myrtles and a bird bath and some roses. But am still left with a good bit of lawn area. Also. How do you trim roses? And trimming crepe myrtles trees and shrubs? I do love gardening. Also I loved your show with Teresa Loe. Her garden area was so interesting! Could you do a show on decorating your garden? Thanks! Hope that wasn’t too many questions.
We live in Tampa , Florida. Our neighbor knew Monarchs were endangered. She planted milkweed , bought everything needed to take the eggs and make sure numerous Monarchs survived and muliplied…a very time consuming and a costly endeavor- but what a blesding. We
, of course helped! Saw your episode on Monarch Butterfly migration routes, etc from Canada to Mexico. What about Florida? Whete do they go from hete? Much thanks…Mary-Alice
Mary-Alice,
So glad you and your neighbors are helping the Monarchs! We all benefit from their presence in so many ways.
As far as migration from Florida, in the warmest parts of the state they are year-round residents. In the colder parts they do migrate to more southern parts or Mexico. This article written by the Florida Cooperative Extension Service provides more information. Keeping gardening for butterflies! http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw311
Hi Joe: Love watching your program, even the reruns I watch 3-4 times. I always find them interesting. I am interested in finding those blocks for the raised beds that hold the boards in episode 803 with using composite lumber. I would really, really appreciate it if you could have a segment about putting up a polycarbonate greenhouse. We purchased one almost 5 yrs. ago & haven’t found anyone who puts them up. We are storing the components in the garage until then. Last yr. we had a contractor level out a spot in our backyard for when we do find someone to put up the greenhouse (24 x 36) gothic style. Been wanting to see someone put one up on a gardening pro-gram sometime. We hope you can have a segment on it or maybe a two-part series. You cover a lot of neat stuff & we always enjoy your program.
Linda,
Thank you for your kind words. We are always interested to hear what our viewers like about out our show.
The blocks you asked about in episode 803 and the wood come from Home Depot. I hope this helps.
Thanks for your suggestions ( we have made note of them for future show topics) and thanks for watching.
Satisfying video, Joe — I’ve made my in-town yard (eastern NC) a stop for the monarchs, with plenty of milkweed and plants with lots of chow for the b’flies (zinnia, coreopsis, etc). I spread the butterflyweeds seeds when I have a supply; sometimes I run into people who want some for their yards. Unfortunately, none of my neighbors, so far. I also have some nice paw paws for that paw paw-specific b’fly whose offspring feed on the leaves. Pretty neat.
While I’m at it: are you going to do a follow-up program or segment on your bee hives?
Thx much
Mitch
Finally an afternoon to catch one’s breath and to binge watch the first four episodes of Season Eight and the verdict is in…looks like the hype of the best season ever is coming true. Great episodes from the year in the garden to tomatoes to butterflies. I can’t wait for the rest of the season because I know you and your team will continue to do an awesome job and be a great inspiration in the process! Thank you.
Wow, George. Thank you for your glowing review. We’re so excited to get this kind of feedback. On behalf of our entire team, we really appreciate our faithful viewers like you and your appreciation for the effort we put into all our shows.
Can we watch episodes online? I have no way to record and am nit always home to catch the show when it airs. I caught the last few minutes of the monarch episode and wpyld love to catch the rest. I raise monarchs from eggs I find on my milkweed. I just released my last monarch yesterday. He was a beautiful male.
Yes, please watch episodes on our website. On the top of every page we have a link to watch shows.
We hope you enjoy them.
Wow! What a wonderful and educational episode! Thank you for telling the story of the Monarchs and the focus on our pollinators.
Great episode, Joe. I’ve been reading Kylee’s fascinating book, “The Monarch.” Every school library should have a copy to spark the next generation ‘s interest in the environment through the beguiling butterfly.
We are so excited to see episodes and posts about Monarchs. Woodland Elementary School is having success attracting and rearing monarchs. We bring young caterpillars inside to keep them safe from preditors and are waiting our first butterflies of spring to emerge. Thank you Joe for educating others on the importance of Milkweed!
Unfortunately our neighbors keep complaining about the weeds in my yard. I have milkweed, joe pye weed, goldenrod, phlox, asters, purple cone flower and other perennials that the monarchs, yellow swallowtails and other butterflies and bees like. They love to see me releasing the monarchs after they emerge but the snide remarks and complaints continue. I have been trying to educate them and the kids that come around to see the monarchs.
Wonderful episode. Thank you! Can you tell us more about Neonicotinoids that might be present in plants sold by nurseries? Isn’t that a concern as well? Can you please do an episode about knowing more about where nursery plants come from and the practices, soils, amendments used to produce these bedding plants?
Thank you Patti. And your suggestion about diving more into the neonic issue is a good one. I’ve started to investigate how to run with this one and it’s getting complicated. But it is the kind of issue we can and should address on Growing a Greener World. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi Joe,
Can you tell me where you purchased the wall blocks for the planters, in the Alpharetta area. Some of my raised beds are needing to be replaced and this looks like a perfect solution for me.
Love the show!
Thanks,
Susan Cox
Susan: The blocks Joe used in the episode I purchased at Home Depot in Kennesaw and in Cartersville, so I assume you can find them at Home Depot in your area. If you plan to use the composite decking, I would recommend going in 4 foot sections between blocks because at longer lengths, the boards may flex under the weight of your soil. Make you beds as large as you want, but use 4 foot segments.
Thank you Dennis. I’m here looking for those blocks too. Good suggestion on 4 foot lengths. I was wondering about that.