Pollinators Garden Pack

Butterfly Milkweed
It is best to plant the seeds as early as possible, but make sure that you plant after the last frost. Sow milkweed seeds by scattering them on the soil surface 1/4-1/2 inch apart, and then cover with about 1/4 inch of additional soil. Water frequently after planting until plants become established.

Zinnia, State Fair Mix
Zinnias transplant well and can be sown indoors four to six weeks before your last expected frost date. You can also wait and sow seeds directly into your garden as soon as all danger of frost has passed. Sow fifteen seeds per foot in rows two feet apart and no deeper than ½ inch. Keep soil moist until plants are up. Thin plants to 9 to 12 inches apart. Keep cultivated and water regularly but don't over water. Grow in full sun, away from trees and shade, in well-drained soil that is rich in humus. Zinnia ‘State Fair’ is a tetraploid variety that was developed decades ago when state fairs were popular settings for local competition of flower varieties, animals and food recipes. Plants have increased disease resistance and vigorous growth. The jumbo sized flowers come in shades of orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow.

Wild Bergamot (Bee Balm)
When to Sow Outside: 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date or in late summer to fall. When to Start Inside: Recommended. 8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date. Seed Depth: Surface to 1/16" Seed Spacing: A group of 5 seeds every 18"–24" Thinning: When 1" tall, thin to 1 every 18"–24" Bergamot is a widespread North American native perennial that is found in floodplains, along shorelines and in open woodlands and moist to mesic prairies. Plants do best in rich soils with full to partial sun, dry to moderate conditions and sandy, clay or loam soils. Leaves have a pungent mint scent and flavor and make a great tea.

Rocky Mountain Beeplant
Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep in trays in the early spring and transplant or densely sow directly into well-prepared beds. In wild plantings, sow in the fall to help break dormancy. This variety was collected and catalogued by Lewis & Clark’s expedition, the “Corp of Discovery,” along the Vermillion River in South Dakota on August 25, 1804. The pink to lavender flowers bloom during the summer. Grows 12 to 48 inches in height and is an annual.

Plains Coreopsis
Native range from Minnesota to British Columbia, south to Louisiana and New Mexico but is a common garden escape elsewhere. Typically found in seasonally damp, disturbed sites, especially roadside ditches and low, sandy areas. Prefers full to partial sun, dry to moist, well-drained soils. In early spring, prepare your seedbed, roll or otherwise firm, scatter seeds on surface, lightly scratch in, and keep evenly moist until germination. Attracts seedeaters. Best temperature for germination is 65-75 degrees F.

Primrose, Common Evening
This plant thrives in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil and in full sun. Protect the plants from excessive winter moisture. You may either start the seeds in containers in cold frames in early spring or direct seed in autumn. It blooms in the summer and has numerous, cup-shaped yellow blooms which open at dusk.

Anise Hyssop (Agastache)
This perennial is native to north central North America and is commonly found in dry open woodlands and prairies. Named Anise Hyssop because of its delightful fragrance – a mixture of mint and licorice. Honey bees and native bees love this plant, which makes it ideal for pollinator gardens and conservation plantings.

Borage
Plant Height: 24 to 36 in. Planting Depth: 2X seed diameter Spacing after Thinning: 1 to 2 feet Direct seed into the soil in mid-spring. Very easy to grow. The plants stay attractive for a long time and are a good candidate for landscape plantings. Borage is an annual that will self-sow and return year after year. It grows two to three feet tall and is covered with blue, star-shaped flowers from June to August. The edible flowers make an attractive addition to summertime drinks, either floated on the surface or frozen into ice cubes.

Echinacea - Purple Coneflower
Plant Height: 24 to 30 inches Planting Depth: 2X seed diameter Spacing after Thinning: 12 inches Sow the seed in early spring through summer, up until two months before first fall frost. Choose an area that receives full sun and has rich soil. If the seeds are cold conditioned moist for about 2 weeks, germination will improve. The flowers can be enjoyed cut, dried with the petals removed, and has also gained popularity for its medicinal properties.

Yarrow, Gold
Plant Height – 3 to 4 feet Yarrow is a hardy perennial plant that is grown from seed or division. Press the small seed firmly into growing medium. Soil temperatures of 78 to 80ºF are best. Light promotes germination. Space plants twelve to eighteen inches apart so that they are not crowded. Best grown in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. This plant derives its botanical name from the ancient story of how Achilles, during the Trojan War, used the leaves of the plant to stop the bleeding of his fellow soldiers.

Mexican Sunflower
Sow outdoors in full sun, directly into prepared soil, after all danger of frost is passed. Cover with ½ inch of fine soil and firmly pack. Thin to 18 inches apart. The plants are erect, can reach six feet in height, has leafy stems with leaves that are large and triangular shaped. They have bright orange flowers that are four inches wide with multiple flower heads per stem. Attractive to bees and butterflies. This annual wildflower is native to Mexico and Central America. Prefers well-drained soils in a sunny location. Heat and drought tolerant. Makes a great cut flower and terrific at the back of beds and borders.