Structural Pest Control & Pesticides - Establishing an NC Pollinator Plant Blend
Establishment tips for your N.C. Pollinator Blend
- Be patient – Pollinator plants may be slow to establish and most often spend their energy the first year developing root systems. Do not expect full ground cover in your first growing season.
- Control competition – Because varieties produce minimal surface growth the first year, they cannot withstand weed competition depriving the seedlings of sunlight and moisture. Two or more herbicide treatments prior to seeding may be needed to eliminate competition.
- Planting depth is critical – Do not plant seed deeper than ¼-inch. Carefully control drill settings, or if broadcast seeding on tilled soil, cultipack it before and after broadcast seed.
- Seeding dates – Best seeding is from April 15 through June 30 after effective competition control. Dormant seeding between November 1 and March 1 can be very effective when competition control has been completed before seeding.
- Maintenance – If weed competition persists, mow periodically, making sure to mow just above emerging native plants. Thatch removal in later years by burning or raking will help maintain a healthy stand.
NCDA&CS - Planting a Pollinator Plot
All Native Plant Mix
- Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) Yellow/Red, Spring
- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Orange, Spring & Summer
- Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) Pink, Spring & Summer
- Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Yellow, Spring & Summer
- Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) Pink, Spring & Summer
- Lance Leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) Yellow, Spring & Summer
- Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) Lavender, Summer
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Lavender, Summer
- Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) White, Summer
- False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) Yellow, Summer
- Partridge Pea (Cassia fasciculata) Yellow, Summer
- Golden Wave Tickseed (Coreopsis basalis) Yellow/Red, Summer
- Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnaris) Yellow/Red, Summer
- Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) Red/Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Showy Tickseed (Bidens aristosa) Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Narrow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) Yellow, Summer & Fall
Native & Non-Native Plant Mix
- Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) White, CS
- Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) Yellow/Red, Spring
- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Orange, Spring & Summer
- Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) Pink, Spring & Summer
- Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) Red, Spring & Summer
- Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Yellow, Spring & Summer
- Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) Pink, Spring & Summer
- Lance Leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) Yellow, Spring & Summer
- Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) Lavender, Summer
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Lavender, Summer
- Spiked Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) Pink, Summer
- Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) White, Summer
- Clasping Coneflower (Rudbeckia amplexicaulis) Yellow, Summer
- False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) Yellow, Summer
- Partridge Pea (Cassia fasciculata) Yellow, Summer
- Golden Wave Tickseed (Coreopsis basalis) Yellow/Red, Summer
- Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) Red/Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Showy Tickseed (Bidens aristosa) Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Sulphur Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Narrow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) Yellow, Summer & Fall
- Peredovik Sunflower (Helianthus sp) Yellow, Winter & Spring
Funding for the NC Dept of Agriculture & CS Pollinator Habitat Project was provided by: