By Cathy Peck, Master Gardener
Recent news features have described the plight of honey bees and other pollinators. Their numbers are decreasing due to a number of threats — environmental pollution, harmful pesticides and chemicals, loss of habitat, and perhaps things that haven’t yet been recognized. These creatures are crucial to food production worldwide.
Pollinators include native bees, flies, butterflies, moths (including larval stages), wasps, bumblebees, nonnative honeybees, other insect pollinators and hummingbirds. They have three basic needs: water, food, and shelter, just as humans do. Each occupies a different niche, but gardening methods can improve their success.
Hummingbirds like moving water but butterflies prefer to get their moisture in mud puddles. Still others favor dew. A piece of untreated wood floating in basin of water provides a landing spot from which bees can sip water.
Grow a diversity of all-season flowers, grasses, herbs and trees. Plant in groups so the creatures don’t have to waste energy searching far and wide to find more nectar and pollen. Most insects prefer flowers with a single row of petals rather than doubles. Old-fashioned flower varieties are good for honey bees; both have European origins. Native plant species are good for our native pollinators. Hybrids may not be what these helpful insects need. Choose plants that flower spring, summer, and fall. A nectar feeder kept clean and refilled often can help hummingbirds when flowers aren’t plentiful.
Plant early-blooming bulbs and flowers under fruiting trees. By attracting the insects early, fruit numbers increase and so do insect numbers. Different colored flowers attract different species. Some great plants to attract pollinators include those in the mint, carrot, daisy, and mustard families. Thyme, oregano, monarda, dill, cilantro parsley, yarrow, goldenrod, Verbena bonarensis, rudbeckias, sweet alyssum, cabbage family flowers that are allowed to go to seed, penstemons, spirea species, evening primrose, elderberry flowers, milkweeds and pulmonarias all attract insects in my yard. Tubular flowers such as penstemons, morning glories, and petunias are good for hummingbirds. Butterflies need flowers that act as landing platforms such as zinnias, asters, and cosmos. These suggestions include both nectar species and food plants for the caterpillar stage.
Gardening practices can increase pollinator numbers. Prepare and maintain soil with natural and organic composts and fertilizers. Avoid chemical (non-organic) insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides on plants or in the soil (what goes into the soil will kill many of the ground nesting pollinators such as bumble bees). Apply organic pesticides only when needed and do it early in the day before pollinators are active or at dusk after most insects have tucked in for the night Neem oil is the safest, most bee-friendly broad spectrum pesticide and is very effective.
Provide bare, untilled soil for burrows for bumble and solitary bees. Provide nesting tubes for mason bees nesting. Leave snags for honeybees, hummingbirds and songbirds. If you can, provide conifers, trees, and roof overhangs for hummingbirds. Leave branches, trees, and herbaceous plants that hang over water to provide places for beneficial insects to lay eggs and to overwinter. Ground covers can also provide shelters for insects.
Attracting beneficial insects and birds to your yard does more than increase the number of tomatoes, peppers, and apples for you to eat. Their very presence gives pleasure. They are interesting and beautiful; their sounds contribute to an ambiance of well-being.
Look for information about horticulture on the University of Minnesota Extension Home and Garden Information page www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo or on the Beltrami Master Gardener site beltramicountymastergardeners.org. The local Master Gardener horticultural assistance voice mail is again taking calls so please call 444-7916 with your question.
