Free Wildflower Kits Are Available At Plant Nurseries Across Massachusetts

IPSWICH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Free wildflower starter kits are being handed out at more than a dozen plant nurseries across Massachusetts on Friday, as part of an initiative to promote and preserve pollinators such as butterflies and bees.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Growing Wild Massachusetts program is kicking off its third year by offering free wildflower growing starter kits to Massachusetts residents.

"The monarch butterfly, that's a great pollinator, those numbers have been declining," Brian Curley, manager at Wolf Hill Garden Center, told WBZ's Shari Small. "One of the native plants that people are able to get as part of the Growing Wild pollinator kits are milkweed which is a host plant for monarchs."

The kits include two native perennial plants that are pollinator-friendly, a Growing Wild yard sign, and a wildflower seed packet.

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"[It's a] mix of native flowers, a few milkweed, perennial grasses, species that pollinators need to survive but will also look great," he said.

Curley said having a green thumb is not required to keep the wildflowers and pollinators thriving.

"Let the seeds fall into the soil, make sure they get plenty of water at first, otherwise once these are getting going they thrive with neglect," said Curley.

Many fruits and vegtables such as apples, tomatoes, strawberries, green beans, grapes, and squash depend on pollination to survive.

"In fact, over 75 percent of food crops—and about 90 percent of all plants—rely on pollinators to reproduce," Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association said.

The kits are available on a first come first serve basis at the following participating nurseries:

• Spencer, MA
  • Bemis Farms Nursery

• Northborough, MA
  • Bigelow Nurseries

• Granby, MA
  • Dave's Natural Garden

• Plymouth, MA
  • Dutchies Greenhouses

• Southborough, MA
  • Gulbankian Farms

• Dennis, MA
  • Hart Farm Nursery

• Scituate, MA
  • Kennedy Country Gardens

• Grafton, MA
  • Perreault Nurseries

• Ludlow, MA
  • Randalls Farm

• Haverhill, MA
  • Rodgers Spring Hill Garden and Farm Center

• Falmouth, MA
  • Soares Flower Garden Nursery

• Hingham, MA
  • Weston Nursery

• Hopkinton, MA
  • Weston Nursery

• Chelmsford, MA
  • Weston Nursery

• Cheshire, MA
  • Whitney Farms

• Conway, MA
  • Wilder Hill Gardens

• Ipswich, MA
  • Wolf Hill Gardens

WBZ’s Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) has more:

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