Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1084252
Jon and Jean Gravning, Polson, MT, participants of the Lake County Conservation District Pollinator initiative have planted more than 5000 square feet in pollinator-friendly plants. Stage Your Way Means... Nomorerunningtoastorageunit Owningyourownstoragebuilding Keepingyourcaroutoftheweather Havingaplacetodohobbies Shelteringanimalsfromthecoldandwind Afunplaceforyourkids Designingityourway Choosingyourowncolors Customizingwithmanyoptions Itmeansdoingityourway! Montana Made Montana Owned Rent-To-OwnAvailable MontanaShedCenter.com/farm406 Getting a pollinator plot established and thriving involves patience, labor, and a certain amount of trial and error. "We bought our first batch of wildflower seeds commercially, and they did really well the first year, but got choked out by grass the second year," says Jon. "We did a better job of planting the new batch of seeds. I used a spreader, then raked them into the ground. It's important to kill off any grass before you plant, and you need to water at least once a week." "There's also a lot of hand weeding that goes with it," says Jean. "You have to do it to keep the flowers vigorous." The Gravnings planted a diversity of species mixed together – purple and white prairie clover, Indian blanketflower, western yarrow, arrowleaf balsamroot, prairie aster, penstemon, basilia, native sunflowers, and many others. Some native grasses, such as big bluegrass and slender wheatgrass, are also part of the mix. The key to a successful plot is to offer some kind of food source from spring through fall. "It's not easy establishing these plants," says Ben Montgomery, a supervisory conservationist with the NRCS office in Ronan. "It takes some work and some luck. One of our goals right now is to try a lot of different species and learn which ones do best. Through monitoring we can continue to improve the seed mixes. In five years, the mix will probably look different than it does today." The Gravnings see an impressive assortment of insects visiting their plots: bumble bees and other native bees, honey bees, fly species that resemble bees, and a diversity of butterflies, including skippers, swallowtails, and monarchs. They also noticed a lot of praying mantis on their property, possibly drawn to the abundance of insects to hunt. farm406 32 Photo: Eliza Wiley