Pollinator-Friendly Plants for Your Garden

Spring is here, and with planting on the horizon, it’s more important than ever to think about the types of plants you’ll bring to your garden. While many people focus on vegetables and other crops, we wanted to remind you that flowers and blooms serve a purpose too! Growers can tend to dismiss flowers as attractive but unnecessary additions to their grow, but your local pollinators will thank you for adding a few of these beautiful blooms to your plot. 

Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are a vital part of your local ecosystem. They play an important role in ensuring that your vegetables produce. It has been proven time and again that without bees in particular, our nation’s food supply will become very limited. 

These beneficial neighbors are in danger. Rising use of pesticides and herbicides, as well as shrinking native wild areas, have left them with decreased food supply and habitat loss. When planning your green space this year, we encourage you to nurture some plants with your local pollinators in mind. 

Tips to Create a Pollinator-Friendly Garden:

Native Plants

One of the most important factors to consider when planting a garden that is friendly to pollinators is the addition of native plants. Your local pollinators may not be able to make use of imported flowers, so be sure to include blooms that occur naturally in your area. Local bees, butterflies, and birds have evolved to interact with the plants in their natural habitat, much of which is lost day by day to human development. Restoring native blooms is a great way to support pollinators in your area, so be sure to do some research and bring in the best for your little friends. 

Cross-Season Garden

Many gardeners make the mistake of clearing out their beds completely in the winter or early spring to make way for late spring and summer blooms. This can be detrimental to the health of your local pollinators that depend on an early-season food supply. Take care to include early and late bloomers in your garden beds to ensure pollinators have food year-round. It’s also a good idea to hold off on pulling old canes and hollow-stalk plants that may house young butterflies and bees until these insects are fully grown. 

Plant Variety

It’s always best to keep a range of plants available for your pollinator friends. By familiarizing yourself with the types of creatures you can expect to see, you can cater your plant choices to their tastes. It’s important to include different plant options so that you draw in more than one type of pollinator. The best gardens make certain all of the bees, birds, and butterflies in the area can find something to eat. 

Water Zones and Safe Spots

Food is not the only thing that pollinators worry about day-to-day. You can ensure that your beneficial neighbors have everything they need by including watering zones and safe places to rest before continuing on their way. Set up a small pool with rocks to break the surface tension of the water for insects like bees and butterflies, or keep a birdbath for hummingbirds. Bee boxes, hollow-caned plants, and birdhouses are also great additions to your yard that will ensure your friends have a spot to hide from predators or rest overnight. 

Organic Growing

The last and perhaps most vital tip for keeping your pollinators happy and thriving is to cultivate organically. Bees and butterflies frequently fall prey to commercial pesticides, which in recent years has resulted in an incredible decline in pollinator insects. By practicing organic cultivation, you make your yard a safe haven from pesticides and harmful chemicals and make better quality plants available to your tiny neighbors. In this way, you can play a part in ensuring that your area will benefit from future generations of pollinators for years to come. 

Top Plants to Grow for Pollinators

Do Your Part to Keep Pollinators Around

Flowers bring more than beauty to the garden. These plants play a huge part in keeping local pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds thriving. Without these beneficial neighbors, our ecosystem is prone to a decrease in food security, economic impacts, and wildlife and habitat loss. Support your pollinators by growing native plants, leaving them some safe areas in your green space, and growing organic with a fertilizer like Geoflora Nutrients. And as a bonus, you’ll get to enjoy some beautiful flowers, too.

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