Unfortunately, pollinators face several challenges around the world. Honey bees currently suffer from colony collapse disorder, caused by habitat loss, pesticides, and disease. These negative factors also affect native bees. Additionally, butterflies like the monarch are seeing substantial population declines, too. Without pollinators, we’d be lost. No, worse: We’d be hungry. And, in time, our planet would be in serious danger of mass extinction. But research shows that people can help propagate pollinators by planting native species in their gardens. To do so, you’ll need to “think like a bee,” says Douglas Tallamy, professor of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware.
Guiding principles
Sunflowers, for example, are one of the best plants for your garden, because they benefit many bee species. If you plant a bed of them, you will not only draw the appropriate specialist bees, but also generalists like bumble bees and honey bees. These little critters are more efficient pollinators than butterflies. They have tiny hairs that catch pollen and help transfer it from one plant to another. Bees also have a knack for targeting the right areas of a flower, rubbing pollen directly onto the sticky stigma, the female part of the flower. Bee species can be broken down into two types: specialists and generalists. Specialists like to feed on specific kinds of plants, whereas generalists have a more diverse diet. When planning your garden, you should design it for specialist bees, Tallamy says. His logic is sound: Cater to the pickiest eaters, and the generalists will still show up to join in the feast. No matter what flowers you plant, their benefits will go beyond bees. At the end of the blooming season, sunflowers dry up, leaving seeds that attract various kinds of birds, bats, and mice in search of a nutritious meal. You should also consider maintaining a healthy and diverse population of plantlife so you have blooms throughout the year. Following the previous example, most sunflowers bloom mid-summer to early fall, so you would want to make sure you also had spring blooms, such as common yarrow or wild geranium in your garden. Maintaining flowers year-round (or as close as you can get) will ensure your pollinator garden reaches its fullest potential. Your garden should be more of a lush habitat for wildlife than a curated display for passersby, so don’t focus entirely on flowers, either. If you learn what plants your pollinators like to nest in or hang out around, your garden will be even more useful. A common misconception, for example, is that people should not plant milkweeds because, well, they are weeds. But research shows that fewer milkweed plants is the main cause for the declining monarch butterfly population. These majestic insects prefer to lay their eggs on milkweed leaves, so planting more of these perennials is the one way you can truly help this species. Other weeds, such as dandelions and clover, will also attract pollinators to your garden during the spring and summer.
What to plant
If you can’t find one of the plants listed above at your local nursery, Pollinator Partnerships has region-specific garden cards that will give you secondary options for your local pollinators. But before you hit your local nursery store and buy the first leafy, colorful beauty that catches your eye, it helps to know what plants are native to your geographical region. This way, you can cater to your local pollinators and prevent invasive species from taking over. For even more specific guidelines, you can also enter your zip code on their website and get comprehensive information about selecting plants for your area.
Build your garden
Every bit matters
As a responsible citizen of the world, we owe it to ourselves and the planet to use our land to its fullest potential. No matter its size, your garden and the pollinators it attracts will play an important role in maintaining a thriving local ecosystem. If you have the land, start with the basics. First, dig a hole twice as big as the pot the plant came in, and then remove the plant from the pot. You’ll need to loosen the roots, place it in the hole, and backfill with the soil you’ve dug up. Pack the soil, and water your new plant. Add mulch to the plot at a depth no greater than one inch. When mulching, make sure to avoid the stems. Piling up too much mulch around a stem can cause it to rot and make it more susceptible to pests. You may hand-weed the plot as needed, but resist the urge to use insecticides, pesticides, and fungicides once your garden blooms, as they might kill pollinators, too. Also, remember that growing anything takes time. Don’t be discouraged if your garden doesn’t look like your vision from the get-go—it may take a couple of years for it to fill in as desired. With your plant knowledge and gardening skills in hand, you can start thinking beyond gardens, too. You can volunteer at forest preserves to help plant native species, or you can educate people in your community about native pollinators and plants so they can do their part. Each of us has the power to contribute. If every city rooftop, windowsill, home garden, and empty plot of land were dedicated to ecological conservation, there’s no doubt it would create quite a buzz. Correction August 17, 2021, 10:34 hrs.: The main picture in this story depicted a pollinator fly instead of a bee. It has been changed.
