MANSFIELD — One sign of fall, is the colors on tree leaves are beginning to change into hues of red, orange, and gold. What a beautiful time of year to be outside and enjoy nature!

Another sign of fall is seeing milkweed seed pods starting to dry out in preparation of being harvested.

Milkweed is the only host plant of monarch butterflies, meaning it’s the only plant monarch butterflies will lay eggs on and the only plant monarch caterpillars will eat. Milkweed also provides a food source for many other pollinators.

The Monarch butterfly population continues to decline and one of the reasons for their decline, is the lack of milkweed. An easy way to help monarch butterflies is to provide a habitat for them by collecting the seed pods and planting the seeds.

If you don’t have space to plant the seeds, simply collect the milkweed seed pods and drop them off at Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (Richland SWCD). 

Each year the district partners with the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI) and county citizens to collect Common Milkweed seed pods to help foster habitats for Monarch butterflies. OPHI spearheads the collection each year and they work to get the word out about why monarch butterflies are disappearing and help partners create monarch habitat. 

Last year 3,425 gallons of pods were collected state-wide! This came out to 225 pounds after they were cleaned. Since December, OPHI and their partners donated enough milkweed to cover 55.8 acres of Monarch supportive habitat! 

Drop your milkweed seed pods of by October 31 in the green and yellow container placed outside the Richland SWCD office located at 1495 W. Longview Avenue, Suite 205 B, Mansfield.  

Here are a few tips on how to collect Common Milkweed seed pods:

  • Become familiar with common milkweed to avoid harvesting pods from similar plants such as hemp dogbane and swamp milkweed. 
  • Pods will appear slightly gray, begin to dry, and have brown seeds inside.
  • If the center seam of the pod pops with gentle pressure, they can be picked.
  • Don’t collect pods that are already open, as they might be infested with insects.
  • Do not drop off pods that are damp because it can cause mold and damage all the pods collected.
  • Please don’t rubber band your pods together. They can damage the equipment used to remove the seeds from the pods and we will be held liable.
  • Place collected pods inside the bin that will have a large paper bag. Do not keep your pods in the bag you used to bring them in. Instead, please add all common milkweed seed pods collectively in the large paper bag. 
  • Keep the pods in a cool, dry area until you can deliver them to the Richland SWCD office.
  • Only collect from your property or property you have been given permission to go on; do not trespass.
  • The amount of Common Milkweed Seed pods collected will be capped at 30 gallons due to the time required to remove the seeds from the pods.
  • If the 30-gallon amount is reached, the bin will be removed and we will no longer be able to accept any more pods. 
  • Only collect from your property or property you have been given permission to go on; do not trespass.

During the winter, seeds from this year’s milkweed seed pod collection will be removed from the pods to be distributed for planting next year. If you want free milkweed seeds with planting instructions, you may pick them up from the hallway table found outside the Richland SWCD office.  

If you have questions about collecting milkweed seed pods or other Richland SWCD programs, please call 419.747.8685 or go to https://richlandswcd.net/residential/programs/.

Richland SWCD develops, implements, and assists landowners, government agencies and our partners with a wide range of natural resource conservation programs.

Programs and assistance of Richland SWCD are available without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, or veteran status.