by Becky McGraw-Wall, PWL Member
PWL’s Pollinator Garden project is going (and growing) strong. Led by Jessica Jones, interim president, PWL members presently maintain 4 pollinator gardens around Polk County. Plants native to southeast Texas are being cultivated to provide nectar for local pollinator species, as well as acting as larval hosts for butterflies and moths. Maintenance of the gardens requires regular weeding and watering of the raised beds, as well as seed collection this time of year to sow for future gardening.
On a recent workday to spruce up the beds before school starts, volunteers Diane Jackson, Trish Moore, Pam Klouda, Jeanette Blesener, Mark Hammer, Ann Nicholson, and Becky McGraw-Wall, joined Jessica in weeding and collecting seeds. Favorite garden plantings among the volunteers include lance leaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) because of its cheerful yellow blooms, blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata) because of its hardiness and reseeding propensity, common milkweed because of its importance to Monarch butterflies, mealy cup salvia which is swarming with bumblebees, and wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) because of its ability to attract all types of pollinators.
Seed harvesting is key for propagating and sharing native plants. Seeds are collected when seed heads are fully matured and dried on the stem, but before they have been dispersed or eaten by birds or pests. Ripe seeds usually go through a color change from green to brown or red. Labeling the collection bags with the species and collection date is highly recommended. Store in a dry, cool, dark place until ready to use.
The original garden at the Onalaska Community Gardens was started in 2023, and 3 more gardens associated with Livingston ISD were started in 2024, including beds at Livingston High School, Livingston Junior High, and Creekside Elementary. The gardens at the schools provide opportunities to teach students the importance of conservation and protection of pollinators. Participating students not only learn about the coevolution of native plants with native insect species and the role of leaving leaf matter for overwintering insects, but basic gardening methods, which add to their compendium of fundamental life skills.
The pollinator garden project will soon expand into the raised beds at Livingston Municipal Library, which will be a class project for the recent class of PWLTMN. The Library project needs help procuring native plants for the beds, including Salvia farinacea, Coreopsis lanceolata, Echinacea purpura, Rudbeckia hirta, butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Rose vervain (Verbena canadensis), Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestrum), Obedient plant (Physostega virginiana), and lyre leaf sage (Salvia lyrata). If any PWLTMN members wish to help, please contact Becky McGraw-Wall.