Hello,

Happy March! If you haven't had a chance to watch the Lawns to Legumes Kick-Off Webinar, Q+A Session, or project webinars, all recordings are now available on the Grantee Guide.

Lawns to Legumes dates to keep in mind:

• May 1: Reimbursement Request Form opens. You'll get a Submittable email from us with the form link. Fill out the form once you've completed your project. Review the Grantee Guide for what you'll need to complete the form.
• July 15: Deadline to complete your project and fill out a Reimbursement Request Form.

All recordings are posted on the Grantee Guide, and linked below.

L2L Kick-Off Webinar

Get an introduction and welcome to the Lawns to Legumes program! We cover everything you need to know to install and get reimbursed for your pollinator habitat project.

L2L Q+A Session

In this follow-up session, we answer program-related questions from the Kick-Off Webinar.

Pollinator Plantings

Metro Blooms Design + Build landscape designers Jennifer Ehlert and Jennifer Moeller cover the fundamentals of completing a pocket planting, pollinator-friendly tree planting, and pollinator meadow.

Pollinator Lawns

James Wolfin from Twin City Seed walks through the steps of converting your turfgrass lawn into a flowering bee lawn.

Resource Spotlight: Native Plant Nurseries

Minnesota has many native plant nurseries and retailers. We recommend sourcing your native plants and seeds from within ~200 miles of your project location to the extent possible. If you don't have a native plants retailer near you, there are some great nurseries in the state that offer shipping on online orders! Check out our Native Plant Nurseries and Retailers List.

Wherever you shop, be sure to ask for native plants that are insecticide- and neonicotinoid-free. Plants raised with these chemicals can be harmful to bees. Use these tips for avoiding cultivars, nativars, and hybrids, which are not reimbursable.

Pro-tip: some of the nurseries on our lists sell plant kits for different types of yards, taking the plant selection work out of your hands! Look for "Plant Kits" in the Offerings column.

Many nurseries are opening pre-orders now or soon. Order early for a wider range of options!



Prairie Moon Nursery of Winona, MN is an online seller of native plants. Search "lawns to legumes" at prairiemoon.com to check out their new spring offerings and native garden kits! 

In addition to shopping from native plant nurseries and retailers, spring native plant sales are a great way to find a wide variety of native plants, trees, and shrubs at these sales at a relatively low cost. Some sales offer or require you to place an order ahead of time, so now is the perfect time to make a plan!

Check out our blog post which lists native plant sales happening throughout Minnesota this spring!

From Seeds to Sprouts: An Inside Look Into Minnesota’s Native Plant Nurseries

Blue Thumb is celebrating March as Native Plant Nursery Month!

On Friday, March 20 at noon, Join Blue Thumb Partners Windflower Natives, Landscape Alternatives, and Northern Holler Nursery for a panel discussion about growing native plants and the behind-the-scenes of running a native plant nursery. Hear tips from nursery owners on shopping and planting for a successful and sustainable spring gardening season!

Connect with fellow grantees and coaches on our online community forum, The Hive! This is a place for you to ask questions for coaches and staff, get program updates, and get to know other Lawns to Legumes participants. 

Important Links and Resources

Need help? Here's where to go:

• Our Grantee Guide page has links to everything you need! Start here.

• What project expenses are reimbursable? Find details on our Eligible Expenses Guide.

• Our Resources page has plant lists, design templates, and more!

• Our Plan a Project page is a step-by-step guide to completing a pollinator project.



• Our Native Nurseries and Retailers list is a great place to start when searching for where to buy native plants, but is by no means an exhaustive list.

• BWSR's Lawns to Legumes Planting for Pollinators Design Guide is helpful when you are planning your design and picking plants.

Let's Connect

Have questions about your grant? Need an extension? Email the L2L Helpline at l2lhelp@bluethumb.org.

Follow Blue Thumb on Facebook or Instagram for seasonal tips on planting for pollinators and clean water.

Thank you for bee-ing a part of the change!

-The L2L Team

www.bluethumb.org

social: @bluethumbmn

Blue Thumb–Planting for Clean Water manages individual support grants for Lawns to Legumes, a state-funded Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources program. Blue Thumb is a partnership of local government, landscape contractors, native plant nurseries and other entities committed to the promotion of native plantings, rain gardens, and shoreline plantings. It is the education program of Metro Blooms, a 501c3 non-profit organization.