How To Build A Pollinator Garden
Creating a Haven for Bees and Butterflies: Build a pollinator garden that works!
If you have ever planted flowers or had an annual herb bolt on you (looking at you cilantro!), then you may already be familiar with the pollinators in your region. Whether you are working with a big yard or a just few containers on your patio, you can take your butterfly sightings from sparse to spectacular with a little effort and by following our helpful tips. Soon your garden will be a welcoming paradise for our beneficial insect friends.
One key point to remember when choosing what you will plant in your pollinator garden is to aim for biodiversity. Just like us, pollinators need a varied diet to achieve their optimum nutritional intake. By providing a delicious buffet for visiting pollinators, you are also gifting yourself a non-stop seasonal parade of beauty to enjoy.
In planting a pollinator garden, you are also providing a benefit to your plants. If you have fruit trees, nut trees, or vegetables such as legumes, all will benefit from having ample pollination provided to them. Increasing the number of pollinators that visit your garden can increase crop yields.
A diverse, pollinator-friendly garden also will encourage beneficial predatory insects, such as green lacewings and lady beetles, to take up residence and potentially help control pest insects, such as aphids and spider mites.
It is clear that building a pollinator garden is a win-win for both you and the environment. Not only does it support a diverse range of essential pollinators, but it also enhances the health and productivity of your garden. With each plant you select, you contribute to a vibrant ecosystem, inviting a symphony of colors and life that resonates through every corner of your garden.
What Kind of Pollinators Can I Attract?
When we say “pollinators,” honey bees are the most common that comes to mind. However, they’re not the only ones working tirelessly in the garden! Many different species of flies, beetles, wasps, native bees, moths, and butterflies also rely on plants to thrive. Having these preferred plants will attract these helpers to your pollinator garden.
Pollination is not exclusive to insects; hummingbirds are considered pollinators, too! Hummingbirds transfer pollen from flower to flower as they drink nectar. Bats can also provide pollination for plants such as figs, dates, mangoes, and agave.
Here's how to create a pollinator garden in your yard:
Include a Variety of Plants
When choosing plants for your pollinator garden, pay attention to the bloom period. The goal is to provide a succession of blooms in every season. For spring flowers, consider Dutchman’s breeches, and flowering bulbs such as winter aconite, and Virginia bluebells; for summer flowers you can plant butterfly weed, bee balm, and honeysuckle; for the fall plant flowers such as native sunflowers, blue mist flower, and asters. Shrubs and trees including redbud, serviceberry, buttonbush, maples, native azaleas and rhododendrons, and American witch hazel also provide habitat year-round.
Add to Your Existing Landscape
While native plants provide the most benefits to pollinators, you do not need to remove existing non-natives. Simply add native plants around non-native specimen plants.
Offer Shelter Sites
In the fall, rake leaves into your pollinator garden to act as natural mulch. This will provide a cozy place for insect pollinators to spend the winter. Many pollinators overwinter among leaves, old plant stems, under logs, or in rock crevices. It is best to avoid cutting down and removing old plant stems in the fall; these serve as nesting sites for pollinators such as solitary bees.
Leave Some Open Ground
It’s important to support all life stages of pollinators, including eggs and larvae. For example, many different species of solitary, ground-nesting bees need open ground to lay eggs and overwinter. Let some spots in your garden remain loose, bare soil or sand, or use only a light layer of mulch to create a suitable habitat for these bees.
Include Host Plants in Your Planting Plan
Many pollinators eat different things during each life stage. For example, native milkweed is the Monarch butterfly’s sole host plant. They require it for laying their eggs, which become caterpillars that then feed on the plant, eventually morphing into Monarchs.
Use Host Plants!
Native Milkweed is the Monarch butterfly’s sole host plant.
Other butterflies require specific host plants. If you are interested in supporting threatened species in your region, make sure to research the preferred host plant for that species. By planting a variety of host plants, you’re more likely to attract and support many different types of butterflies.
Plant Flowers Hummingbirds Love
If you want to be graced with the regular visitation of hummingbirds, they gravitate toward red or orange flowers with a tubular shape. Planting large swaths of flowers, rather than one here and there, is the best approach to catch their attention. In the West, native wild columbine blooms in red with a yellow center; this is the sort of flower that many hummingbird nectar feeders utilize in their feeding port designs. While providing sugar water during the winter is a great way to support your local non-migrating hummingbird population, during the warmer months there is a high risk of spoilage. Hummingbirds can contract a fungal infection from contaminated feeders; their tongues can swell which makes it impossible for them to eat. When the weather warms, it is safest to provide them with high nectar-producing flowers rather than taking the trouble to sanitize and refill feeders every couple of days.
Provide Water
A shallow dish or bird bath with a few stones in your pollinator garden will allow bees and wasps to perch safely and access fresh water. A shallow pan filled with sand and kept moist will create a “puddling” area where butterflies will come to sip. Change the water frequently.
Minimize Pesticide Use
Pesticides are not selective, and can easily drift from the area during application. Anything you use can also harm the pollinators in your garden, even those listed as OMRI-certified. Pesticides may come in direct contact with pollinators, or they may pick up pesticide residue when they walk on treated plants or when seeking nesting material or nesting areas. When possible, avoid the use of insecticides. Remember that even “natural” or organic products can harm pollinators, so be cautious and sparing in applying anything to control pests or weeds. Finally, nature is industrious; if you eliminate one population of pests and any beneficial predatory insects alongside them, a new pest will move in to finish the job. Nature will always seek balance, so it’s best to let nature run its course whenever possible.
Avoid Use Of Insecticides!
Even “natural” or “organic” products can harm pollinators, so be cautious and use as little (or none!) as possible.
Conclusion
The creation of a pollinator garden is much more than a gardening project; it's an act of ecological stewardship. By focusing on biodiversity, you not only provide essential nutrients to a variety of pollinators but also create a vibrant, dynamic, and productive ecosystem right in your backyard. Your efforts contribute significantly to the well-being of pollinators, which are vital to our food supply and the health of the environment. Furthermore, natural pest control and improved crop yields are added bonuses that underscore the interconnectedness of nature. As you watch your garden thrive, buzzing with life and color, remember that each flower and visitor plays a critical role in a much larger, global tapestry. Through your pollinator garden, you are making a positive impact, fostering a healthier planet one bloom at a time.
** Resources: https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/garden-ideas/a46823427/how-to-make-a-pollinator-garden/