Monarchs and other pollinators need five essentials to survive:
- Food: Nectar plants and native milkweed.
- Water: Moist soil for “puddling.”
- Shelter: Brush piles, dense shrubs, or tall grasses and wildflowers.
- Places to Raise Young: Native milkweed plants for monarch caterpillars.
- Pesticide-Free Areas: Avoid using insecticides.
Getting Started:
- Planting Area: Minimum 100 square feet, which can be divided across multiple sites.
- Exposure: At least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
- Soil: Low-clay soil with good drainage.
- Water: Butterflies sip moisture from muddy soil.
Planting Essentials:
- Native Milkweed Plants:
- Vital for monarch caterpillars. Include at least 10 plants of multiple species.
- For Tennessee, there are fifteen native species of milkweed (see list below, and click on the links to learn more about each species).
Native Milkweeds for Tennessee:
- Native Nectar Plants:
- Provide nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies.
- Ensure continuous blooms by including early, mid, and late-season varieties. Aim for at least three different plants in bloom at any time.
- Check out the list of native nectar plants for Tennessee. Try growing these native plants in your monarch butterfly habitat!
Importance of Native Plants:
- Support diverse insect populations.
- Provide ecological benefits like erosion reduction and filtration.
- Adapted to local conditions, making them easy to care for.
Management:
- Water and weed regularly.
- Mulch, fertilize, and amend the soil.
- Remove dead and invasive plants.
- Avoid insecticides.
Let’s protect monarchs by creating habitats that support their lifecycle and well-being.