How to Bring Butterflies to Your Connecticut Garden
While the focus of summer gardening in Connecticut might center on bright blooms and healthy veggies, with a few simple strategies, you can also attract more butterflies to your outdoor space. Not only are butterflies beautiful, but they are also critical for pollination. Read on for some effective steps to help turn your garden into a haven for these colorful pollinators. Here’s how to bring butterflies to your Connecticut garden!
Plant the right flowers
Since flowers provide nectar, the primary food source for butterflies, planting the right varieties is essential. Butterflies are drawn to bright colors like red, orange, yellow, and purple. Planting flowers that include sweet nectar, have an easily accessible shape, and a potent fragrance will also appeal to butterflies. Opt for varieties such as aster, lavender, milkweed, sage, and sunflowers. These are all flowers that grow well in Connecticut!
Keep blooms going from spring through fall
To keep butterflies returning all summer long, you’ll need to keep your garden blooming all season. This means you will need to plant a variety of perennials that flower at different times, as well as long-lasting annuals, to keep blooms going into fall. Butterflies thrive on fresh flowers, so be sure to deadhead plants to encourage new bloom growth and, therefore, more nectar.
Avoid harsh chemicals
Butterflies are negatively impacted by harsh chemicals, so when it comes to fertilizer, lean toward organic options. Some natural fertilizers you may already have at home include coffee grounds, eggshells, grass clippings, and even banana peels! This also applies to pesticides used to repel mosquitoes. Instead of spraying harsh chemicals, opt for natural repellents like lavender or citronella plants!
Provide plenty of sunlight and shelter
Butterflies need plenty of sunlight and can get chilly without it. Make sure you plant your flowers in the sunniest location possible. You can also add sun-basking stones to your yard! Place them in sunny spots among your flowers to provide a landing spot for butterflies to stop and warm up. Butterflies also need a space to stay safe. Buy a premade butterfly house or build a makeshift one from a few pieces of wood. This will help protect butterflies from predators like birds and other insects.
