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Butterflies add color and life to a garden so sit back and enjoy the beauty of the insects as well as the flowers.
Butterflies are vital to the food chain and the survival of living things. They pollinate flowers and some become food to reptiles, amphibians and birds. To attract butterflies, gardens must provide the basic necessities of shelter, food and water.
Butterfly species need protection especially in spring and fall when nights are cooler. They fight wind currents as they feed, mate and lay eggs so shrubs and perennials that provide shelter are quite important for butterfly survival. During the winter months butterflies hibernate in hollow logs and potted plants, use wind breaks for added protection or migrate to warmer climates.
Favorite foods of caterpillars, butterfly larvae, include leaves, flowers and seeds of plants. Some are picky eaters and will eat only one species. Other feed on one plant and lay eggs on another. Caterpillars also need nutrients from weeds like dandelions and thistles in order to mature and certain species develop on vegetable plants including broccoli, cabbage, parsley and dill.
Adult butterflies feed on nectar-sweet plants. Ones that bloom in sequence through spring and fall provide a constant supply of food. Asters, marigolds, phlox, zinnia and verbena are but a few. Designate a separate area for wild flowers as the weedy look doesn’t blend with a well tended garden.
Butterflies also need water and are often seen feeding around puddles of water, streams and ponds. Keep this in mind when designing water features or planting around ponds.
Finally, use insecticides sparingly and only when cultural controls are not effective. Some pesticides can be harmful to butterflies and remember to always read and follow label directions.
For more information on attracting butterflies to your garden, refer to Fact Sheet #5.504 - Attracting Butterflies to the Garden. Or call Plantalk Colorado toll free at 1-888-666-3063 and request recording #1121 - Butterfly Gardens.
Q: How should I care for roses planted in early summer? I have been watering once a week and wonder if this is enough.
A: Roses need a lot of water during these very hot days of summer. Using a hose, water to a depth of 12 to 18 inches twice a week during hot weather and once a week from mid August until fall. Stop fertilizing by August 15 to prevent late growth and frost damage.
Q: My garden lettuce is still producing but tastes bitter. Why is this?
A: Cool season vegetables such as lettuce don’t like the high temperatures that we’ve had in June and July. You can expand the length of the season by planting lettuce under taller warm season crops that provide shade and moderate the temperature. Or plant lettuce in August for your fall harvest.
Q: Now that Dursban is being taken off the market, what can I use to control borers in my tree trunks?
A: The majority of boring insects attack only trees that are under stress from other variables such as drought or damaged roots. Keeping trees healthy and growing vigorously will prevent most attacks. If preventative insecticides are needed, permethrin (Astro), carbaryl (Sevin) and lindane are relatively effective for most borers and beetles. Remember to read and follow label directions when applying any pesticide.
Q: Our water pond is covered with floating hyacinths. They grew well this summer but now look diseased and are dying. What is happening?
A: Small plants grow quickly and require periodic thinning. Surface water plants need good air circulation to thrive and shouldn’t cover over 2/3 of the water surface.
Bring new life to a garden space by building a path. Remember these three basic principals when constructing your path - -
1. Choose the right materials. Based on the area, your path should
have a foundation that allows for drainage, good traction, and does not
dirty your feet.
2. Make it wide enough. If you are creating a main garden
path, it should be wide enough for two people to walk side by side, or
about 5 feet. Small paths could be 2 – 3 feet wide.
3. Add plants wherever possible. Allow a few inches of sandy
soil between pavers and plant low growing perennials like lemon thyme.
Small mounded perennials or annuals add extra color and will soften the
lines of your path.
Whether constructed out of grass, aggregate or stone pavers, paths beckon,
they bring the visitor to a cozy corner or a garden focal point.
Boost your tomato yield by getting the vines off the ground. Tomatoes that grow on unsupported vines often rot on the ground or are eaten by pests as they ripen. Sprawling vines are very susceptible to fungal diseases. Growing your tomatoes upward also gives you room to grow more tomato plants (or other crops) within a given space. A variety of materials will work to support your vines such as wood, metal hoops or stakes and string. But don’t delay, stake as soon as possible. Not only will you see a greater harvest but you will also have healthier, cleaner fruit.
When refueling your lawnmower use a funnel to prevent spills that will kill your grass. If you don’t have a funnel, you can make a disposable one using a soda bottle. Gasoline is dangerous and any spill will pollute the air as much as one hour of mowing. Always allow your mower to cool before refueling as a hot engine can ignite the fuel.
The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.
Fact Sheets are available at the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado, telephone (970) 498-6000, or contact us by e-mail at larimer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
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