Milkweed Pod Collection through November 15th
The Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI) is seeking public involvement to collect common milkweed seed pods from established plants. Pods can be dropped off at the Darke Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) office until November 15, 2022. The collected pods will be cleaned and the seed will be used to establish new plantings and to create additional habitat for the Monarch Butterfly in Ohio.
Don’t collect your pods too early. Seed pods should be collected when they are dry and either gray or brown in color. Green pods are not ready to be picked, wait for them to change color. A good way to test if the pods are ready, apply gentle pressure and if the center seam pops, they can be picked.
A few tips to follow when collecting milkweed pods:
The deadline to drop off your milkweed pods has been extended this year to November 15th to allow pods to dry naturally. Pods can be dropped off during business hours, Monday through Friday between 7:30 am and 4:00pm, or place them in the green collection bin located on the south side of the building.
For more information, please contact our office at 937-548-1715, extension 3 or email [email protected].
Don’t collect your pods too early. Seed pods should be collected when they are dry and either gray or brown in color. Green pods are not ready to be picked, wait for them to change color. A good way to test if the pods are ready, apply gentle pressure and if the center seam pops, they can be picked.
A few tips to follow when collecting milkweed pods:
- Wear disposable gloves when harvesting pods.
- Collect pods in paper bags, avoid using plastic because they can attract moisture and allow mold to develop.
- Store in a cool, dry area until you are able to deliver to the Darke SWCD office.
- Leave a couple pods per plant to allow for natural regeneration to occur.
The deadline to drop off your milkweed pods has been extended this year to November 15th to allow pods to dry naturally. Pods can be dropped off during business hours, Monday through Friday between 7:30 am and 4:00pm, or place them in the green collection bin located on the south side of the building.
For more information, please contact our office at 937-548-1715, extension 3 or email [email protected].
Pollinator Species are experiencing population declines across the United States. In particular, the monarch butterfly has drastically declined here in Ohio and in the wintering grounds of Mexico. Since monarch caterpillars hatch here in Ohio in the summer, Ohio has been identified as a priority state for Monarch conservation. In response to the decline of pollinators, the Ohio Division of Wildlife and other partners have created the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI) to educate the public and help create beneficial habitat for pollinators such as the monarch butterfly. OPHI formed after the 2014 petition to list the monarch as federally endangered or threatened. The group's primary focus is to find opportunities and other partners to assist in the efforts to create habitat.
The Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative is calling on Ohioans for a second year of Milkweed pod collections! This project started in 2015 as a 7 county pilot and last year hundreds of Ohioans worked together last fall to collect approximately 200 lbs of common milkweed seeds, totaling over 19 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! Lets make our collection efforts in 2017 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)
If you have questions regarding milkweed collection, please contact Marci Lininger at [email protected] or Lori Stevenson at [email protected].
For more information on Milkweeds refer to this video! http://u.osu.edu/beelab/milkweed-seed/
We thank you for your help!
The Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative is calling on Ohioans for a second year of Milkweed pod collections! This project started in 2015 as a 7 county pilot and last year hundreds of Ohioans worked together last fall to collect approximately 200 lbs of common milkweed seeds, totaling over 19 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! Lets make our collection efforts in 2017 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)
If you have questions regarding milkweed collection, please contact Marci Lininger at [email protected] or Lori Stevenson at [email protected].
For more information on Milkweeds refer to this video! http://u.osu.edu/beelab/milkweed-seed/
We thank you for your help!
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Planting milkweed for Monarchs is vital! This particular plant is lacking on the landscape and has had a direct effect on Monarch populations. Please join us in our effort to replenish this essential plant in Ohio by collecting common milkweed.
Darke County Milkweed Pod Collection Site Details
- Where: Darke SWCD Office (1117 Southtowne Ct., Greenville). A container will ne located on the south side of the building
- When: September 1 through November 15; pods can be dropped off at any time
- Who: Anyone! Groups or Individuals
- Why: Planting milkweed for Monarchs is vital!