The monarchs are coming! Monarch butterflies complete an impressive migration to Mexico each fall, with many passing through Georgia in late September through mid-October. After these tiny creatures fly 20-30 miles each day, they need a hearty dinner.

Please provide an ample buffet of fall-blooming plants that are good nectar sources. When I teach pollinator classes I always ask, “who wants to eat only during June?” No one ever raises their hands, but often that accurately describes our backyard pollinator resources. We have ample blooms in summer, but the cupboard is bare during spring or fall. As we transition into autumn, it is a good time to evaluate how well our landscapes are functioning as hosts. Providing refreshments to our guests is good southern hospitality at its best, but the reality is these garden spaces may be more like food aid for pollinator refugees than a casual dinner party with friends. While seeing bees and butterflies flittering through the garden give gardeners, including myself, warm fuzzies, pollinators are in trouble.

The number of acres that monarchs occupy at their overwintering site has declined drastically over the last decade. It is easier to track monarch numbers compared to other pollinators because of their unique overwintering pattern, but a range of scientific studies have shown that many pollinator species are in decline. The good news is, home gardens play an important role in protecting pollinators, and we can help.

In addition to being a good time of year to assess our garden-beds, fall is also the best time to plant herbaceous perennials. Perennials are sold when they are blooming, so it is easiest to find fall-blooming plants now. Many garden centers label plant tags with a special symbol if they are attractive to pollinators, so look for those. Asters are a great pollinator plant and easy to find this time of year, and I find their purple, white, or blue blooms refreshing among the yellow and oranges of other fall blooms and foliage. The UGA State Botanical Gardens also has a fall plant sale that specializes in native plants in October. This year’s sale will be online, so watch their website, botgarden.uga.edu, in the upcoming weeks to view their selections.

Asters are an excellent fall nectar source.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind if you are planting pollinator plants this fall. Match the right plant to the right environment. Plants have light and moisture requirements, so try to match the conditions in your yard to plants that thrive in those conditions. Also, pay attention to the plant tag and information about the spacing requirements. Plants are not sold at their full size, perennials spread outward as they mature, and pinching practices or growth regulators may have kept plants more petite pre-sale than they will be in your garden. Make sure they have room to grow.

Perennials come back year after year, so getting the ground right is important at planting. Till deeply, amend with 2”-3” of compost, and 1 lb of 10-10-10 (or an organic fertilizer equivalent) per 1000 square feet at planting. A soil test can offer more precise recommendations, include any lime needed to adjust soil pH to levels optimum for perennial plantings. For more in-depth information on planting perennials, refer to “Landscape Basics: Success with Herbaceous Perennials”.

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