Annual Milkweed Pod Collection 9/1/19 - 10/30/19
It’s that time again!
The Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative is calling on Ohioans for a third year of Milkweed pod collections! This project started in 2015 as a 7 county pilot and last year hundreds of Ohioans worked together. Since then the volunteers have collected approximately 5000 gallons of common milkweed seed pods, totaling over 22 million seeds! Milkweed is the only host plant for the Monarch butterfly for egg laying and caterpillar rearing. It also serves as a food source for Monarchs as well as many other pollinator species. The disappearance of milkweed across the U.S. has contributed to the 80% decline of the eastern monarch butterfly population over the last 20 years. We are working hard to change this, and you can help! Let’s make our collection efforts in 2018 even better by following these simple tips!
• Make sure that before you collect seed, you become familiar with the common milkweed to avoid harvesting pods from similar plants such as hemp dogbane and swamp milkweed
• It is best to collect the pods when they are dry, grey, or brown. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK THIS
• If the center seam pops with gentle pressure, they can be harvested.
• Store the pods in paper bags; plastic bags collect unwanted moisture.
• Put the date and county collected on the bag when you turn them in.
• Keep the pods in a cool, dry area until you can deliver them to the nearest collection site.
Collections start September 1st and goes until October 30th (we will accept pods until November 1st)
For more information on Milkweeds refer to this video! http://u.osu.edu/beelab/milkweed-seed/
we thank you for your help!
Ashland County collected 48 pounds of good usable seeds in 2018, we are hoping for more in 2019.
• Your nearest collection place: Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District, 1763 State Route 60 S. Ashland, Ohio.This information provided by the Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Soil and Water conservation.
About the Author
For 20 years, Maxine Swaisgood has been the Administrative Assistant for the district. She was raised on a tobacco farm in Northern Kentucky. In 1968 she married Terry and moved to Ashland County. They raised Tim and Traci on a 300 acre dairy farm in Perry Township. After the death of Terry, she continues to grain farm with the help of her children and friends. She loves Kentucky basketball, AU basketball and Ohio football. Her great pleasure is watching her grandchildren: Jack 15, Max 14, Cole 12, Claire 10 and Lillie Anna 9 play sports whether it be basketball, baseball, swimming, or snow skiing.