How to Attract Pollinators with Your Landscaping
A garden full of beautiful wildflowers is a critical source of nutrition for pollinators, but it isn’t the only thing they need to thrive. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial insects also require nesting sites, shelter, and safe, pesticide-free spaces to feed and reproduce. If you’re serious about attracting pollinators, you’ll need a landscape designed […]
Switchgrass & Other Native Warm Season Grasses in Riparian Buffers
Riparian buffers are vegetated zones alongside rivers, streams, and other waterways. These natural formations play a critical role in safeguarding water quality, reducing erosion, and supporting biodiversity. When planted with native warm season grasses, these buffers become even more effective, thanks to the grasses’ deep root systems, nutrient uptake capabilities, and resilience in working landscapes. […]
Planting for Monarchs: How to Build a Butterfly-Friendly Garden
Monarch butterflies are one of North America’s most recognizable and beloved species, but their populations have declined sharply in recent decades. Habitat loss, pesticide use, and the spread of non-native plants have all played a role. Fortunately, gardeners, farmers, and landscape professionals in the Northeast can take direct, meaningful action to support monarch butterfly conservation […]
Why Native Vegetation Is the Secret Weapon of Smart Solar Projects
Solar farms are spreading fast across the United States, but what’s happening underneath the panels is just as important as the energy they produce. As millions of acres are converted to solar use, developers and landowners face a critical question: What should we plant on all that land? The answer could shape not just your […]
6 Important Food Sources for Native Birds During Cold Winter Months
Winter presents serious challenges for native birds. As temperatures drop and snow covers the landscape, many of their natural food sources, like seeds, fruits, and insects, become scarce or inaccessible. For species that don’t migrate, the cold season can lead to energy deficits, weight loss, and higher mortality rates. If you’re interested in helping, this […]
Bumblebee Conservation 101
Bumblebees are more than just adorable garden visitors. Underneath the cute and fuzzy exterior lies an essential pollinator that helps sustain ecosystems, support food production, and maintain plant diversity. Yet across the Northeast and beyond, their numbers are falling fast. For landowners, growers, and conservation-minded citizens, understanding this crisis is the first step toward reversing […]
ERNST Awarded 2025 PLNA Hall of Fame Award
We’re proud to share some exciting news: Andy Ernst, Vice President of Ernst Conservation Seeds, has been named the 2025 Hall of Fame Award recipient by the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA). The Hall of Fame Award is among the highest honors in Pennsylvania’s horticulture community. It recognizes individuals whose contributions have strengthened the […]
Creating Low-Impact, Pollinator-Friendly Solar Energy Sites with Native Seeds
Solar farms are expanding rapidly, with an estimated 6 million acres projected for solar energy production by 2050. However, conventional solar sites covered in gravel or turf offer little ecological value, increasing maintenance costs, soil degradation, and heat reflection. These barren landscapes contribute to stormwater runoff, pollinator habitat loss, and localized temperature spikes that can […]
The Importance of Native Plants: How They Support Local Wildlife
Without native plants, entire ecosystems begin to unravel. Pollinators struggle to find food, birds lose nesting habitats, and biodiversity declines. Wherever development and invasive species threaten native landscapes, prioritizing local plant species is one of the most effective ways to support wildlife and maintain ecological stability. In this guide, we’ll examine the subtle relationships between […]
How Sunflower Pollen Reduces Parasites in Bumblebees
Bumblebees are essential pollinators, but their populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and parasites. Among these threats is the gut parasite Crithidia bombi. This parasite can weaken bumblebee immune systems, reduce foraging efficiency, and even threaten colony survival. Recent research highlights sunflower pollen as a natural defense against C. bombi. Unlike […]