How to attract all kinds of pollinators to your garden.
Watching a bee blossom from a pumpkin or buzz around a catnip is peaceful and enchanting. These hard workers are closely related to butterflies, moths, bats, some birds and other insects such as bees and bugs. They carry tiny grains of pollen from plant to plant so that the plants can reproduce and produce fruits and seeds to ensure a healthy and diverse ecosystem. About 75% of the world's flowering plants and 35% of our food production depend on pollinators, which means that we humans do too.
Problems such as increasing urbanization, pesticides and parasitic mites have affected pollinator populations in recent years. But whether you live on a few acres or a small plot of land, there's a lot you can do to help them thrive. "You can easily incorporate pollinator plants into your existing landscape," says Amanda Bennett, vice president of horticulture and collections at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. "Even if you lack space, you can plant in containers, pots and planters. Every bit counts.
Here's what else you can do to make your garden a haven for pollinators.
variety of plants
Plant a variety of flowers of different colors, shapes and bloom times, focusing on plants that bloom continuously from early spring to late fall. "For example, you want to offer something to the bugs that wake up in the spring so they have an immediate food source," explains Bennett.
Include native plants in your design, but you can also use cultivars or cultivated varieties; They are selected or crossed with other species to obtain certain characteristics such as B. More compact or larger flowers. Bennett says they can be practical and beautiful and still provide food for pollinators.
Be big and brave
To attract the attention of pollinators, group several plants together instead of placing a plant here and there. "Bugs are visible, and if you plant them in groups of three to five plants, you send a clear signal that something good is coming to eat your garden," says Bennett.
Start with yearbooks
Annuals live for one season, but they flower from planting to frost, providing lots of color over a long period of time. They are a good place to start because they give quick results and usually don't require you to put in too much effort to get buds. Plants to consider: Pentas, Lantana, Sunflowers, Alyssum, Cosmos and Zinnias.
Plant perennials
Perennials that bloom for a few weeks to months come back several seasons, so they're a great way to build your pollinator garden over time. However, this is a long-term commitment that requires patience. Most don't do much in the first year, then grow a little faster in the second, then finally go away in the third season. Plants to consider: lemon balm, peppermint, marigold, purple brussels sprouts, purple primrose and calendula.
Import edible varieties
Borage, dill, fennel, sage and cilantro are popular with pollinators, so plant them in beds and containers next to other foods or in your landscape, says Bennett. Vegetables such as dill and heirlooms such as beans also attract many pollinators.
Use bushes and trees for structure
Flowering shrubs and trees add beauty, color and structure to any garden, as well as food and shelter for wildlife. Most do not require much maintenance. Plants to Consider: Buttonbush, Virginia Sweetspire; snowball nudum; lace, smooth and panicled hydrangea; Maple, cervis and black tupelo.
Be a little lazy about fall cleaning
Those who hurry are happy. Leaving dead leaves and seed pods intact during the winter gives pollinators a place to hide in cold weather. Bennett says there is no need to anger the entire court. Keep the front yard neat and tidy to make it attractive, but leave the less tidy part of your yard to protect your pollinators.
Provide a water source
Insects also need water. Adding a simple water feature makes the space even more appealing to them. Place a birdbath or gravel for pollinators to land on. Don't forget to change the water every few days so mosquitoes don't have a place to breed.
limit chemicals
A powerful spray of water from a hose often brings pests such as aphids to an acceptable level. Diseased plants, such as powdery mildew phlox, are sometimes best removed rather than correcting the current problem.
If you need help during a pest or disease outbreak, choose organic options. For example, products such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for caterpillars, neem oil for pests and diseases, or insecticidal soap for insects are slightly less lethal control methods. But remember, any broadband product kills both the bad and the good, so use sparingly, says Bennett.
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