Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the issues needing to be addressed in the world? Climate change, global warming, food security, the list goes on…
Yeah, us too.
So where can we begin to try and make a positive difference? Well, you are here, reading this email. You must already be interested in growing plants.
Guess who else likes plants? Pollinators.
Bees, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, and hummingbirds all play a vital role in our ecosystems, economies, and agriculture. Supporting them in our gardens can be one way to help make a positive impact!
And being as it is Pollinator Week, now is a great time to plan how we can help pollinators thrive.
7 Things You Can Do for Pollinators
Suggested by the Pollinator Partnership, here are seven ways we can help pollinators, along with a few awesome resources!
Plant for Pollinators:
- Utilize plants native to our area (or at least, non-invasive for our area).
- Utilize the Ecoregional Planting Guides to create or enhance your pollinator garden. This really is a neat resource to know about!
- Know your soil type and select appropriate plant material.
- Plant in clusters to create a “target” for pollinators to find.
- Plant for continuous bloom throughout the growing season from spring to fall. Here is our pollinator plant list to help get you started!
- Select a site that is removed from wind, has at least partial sun, and can provide water.
- Allow material from dead branches and logs remain as nesting sites; reduce mulch in some areas to allow patches of bare ground for ground-nesting bees to utilize; consider installing wood nesting blocks for wood-nesting native bees.
Discover the 6 other actions you can take >>
More Neat Pollinator Resources
5 Things Kids Can Do to Help Pollinators
We all want our kids to be kind to others, so let’s include pollinators! Since summer is the season of flying bugs, what better time than now to talk to kids about how they can help pollinators live a happy life.
Ways Kids Can Help Pollinators >>
Learn Who Is Buzzing Around
The honey bee is often the only bee we think of when we hear “pollinators”, but they are not the only one that matters. There are many bees that visit our garden. Learn who they are!
Find Pollinator Plants for Each Season
Some of our favorite plants for pollinators are on display around our garden center. Click on the button to view our blog with a list of pollinator food sources for every season of the year!
Perennials for Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Perennials are those you plant once and they’ll give you a seasonal bloom, year after year. And a successful habitat for butterflies and hummingbirds offers a year-round food supply.
Determine if your garden receives mostly sun or shade, then browse through our perennial list with approximate bloom times to help with your planning.