It’s that time of year again – the annual milkweed pod collection!

​Hamilton County SWCD will once again be a drop off location for milkweed seed pods. The statewide program, organized by the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative, is designed to get local citizens involved in habitat restoration to help the Monarch Butterfly. The program started in 2015 and since then, Ohio residents have collected 5,000 gallons of seed pods totaling over 22 million seeds. These seeds are used in restoration projects throughout the state. Milkweed is a host plant for monarch butterflies, which means the species cannot survive without milkweed plant.
 
Some tips for seed pod collection:

• 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 pods when they are grey/brown in color and dry, not green
• The center seam should pop open with gentle pressure
• Store the pods in paper bags, not plastic as it as it may contribute to mold growth
• Label the bag with the date, county name and collection location
• Keep pods in a cool, dry location until you can deliver them to the Soil and Water office

 
For more information go to https://education.hcswcd.org/monarch.html or contact Gwen Roth.