Butterfly gardens blossoming locally
Gerry Dickneite closely examines a bloom from the Mexican Sunflower plant. The nectar from its flower is a favorite of Monarch butterflies. (Kermit Constantine photo)
Gerry Dickneite grew up on a farm, learning to appreciate the outdoors and coexist with nature at an early age.
“I was raised on a farm, and you always grow a big garden,” the Waterloo woman said. “As a kid, you didn’t have a television to watch. I’m a nature person, and my kids are too. I’m proud of that.”
She continues that lifestyle with gardening and educating the public about insects, which includes teaching people the importance of wasps in a garden.
“Don’t kill wasps,” she said. “They kill all kinds of spiders and bad bugs.”
Several miles south of Waterloo off Route 3, Dickneite maintains gardens that attract bees, wasps, butterflies and many other creatures. Dickneite even enjoys keeping some bee hives for Don and Pam Laidley, owners of The Picky Bee in Waterloo.
“It’s working out pretty well,” Pam Laidley said. “Everybody who has our hives on their property enjoys it.”
According to Dickneite, she and Jerry share the same excitement for gardening, and he is thrilled that the Republic-Times decided to interview her. Dickneite used the interview as a chance to inspire change in the way people tend their gardens.
“My hope is that more people will plant things for butterflies,” she said. “Some people cut off everything.”
Dickneite recognizes how people will often want to get rid of any weeds that crop up in their yards. She encourages people to reconsider doing so, especially with milkweed — the most important plant for Monarch butterflies as their larvae do not consume any other plant.
“It’s kind of like a spoiled child who only eats peanut butter and jelly,” Dickneite explained.
Providing a habitat for Monarch butterflies is becoming increasingly important with the population down 80 percent from the last 21 years, according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Waterloo Garden Club President Steve Notheisen announced in the spring the start of a local Monarch butterfly conservation effort. Upon hearing that Notheisen wanted Waterloo to produce about 75 gardens over the next couple of years, Monroe County Bicentennial co-chairman Dennis Knobloch announced a goal of 200 butterfly gardens in the county.
Dickneite established her gardens many years ago and didn’t know of the Bicentennial project when asked. However, she can still say she made a sizeable contribution to the goal.
“Well, mark me down for about four because I’ve got a whole field,” she said.
In addition, Notheisen, who is also a city alderman, said Waterloo had about 12 gardens recorded in April. Places such as the Oak Hill senior care facility have brought that number up slightly.
“The enthusiasm for supporting the project was pretty high for those that were gardeners,” Notheisen added.
Though he couldn’t track the total number of gardens planted as a result of the project, Notheisen noted that many people collected informational packets at the Monroe County Courthouse. These packets contain details on how to start a butterfly garden and a starter kit with milkweed seeds.
For more information on starting a butterfly garden, go to the courthouse or contact the county clerk’s office at 939-8681, ext. 302 or email moclerk@htc.net. Contact Notheisen at 939-8600 or email aldermanstevenotheisen@gmail.com.
In addition to using milkweed for the Monarchs, Dickneite explained the best way to plant milkweed in a garden. Her method consists of planting seeds in a pot of soil, allowing the milkweed to grow slightly before she plants it in the ground.
“If you just throw seeds down, grasses and other weeds will overpower them,” she said.
Since Monroe County hasn’t reached 200 gardens yet, those interested in trying out Dickneite’s formula should feel encouraged to participate.
“It shouldn’t be a one-year deal,” Notheisen said of the project. “It’s something we should continue perpetually.
