The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Gardening advice: Celebrate pollinators
My friend and Master Gardener Sharon Richardson is passionate about pollinators. Her interest started around the time she began volunteering at Longwood Gardens (2008), which inspired her to begin taking their horticulture classes. In 2015, she fenced in her back yard in Malvern to protect against hungry deer, and the following spring planted her first pollinator garden. I’ve visited Sharon’s property mid-summer, and found it full of the humming and fluttering of bees and butterflies busy at their work—the most alive garden I’ve ever seen.
Sharon’s interest in pollinators is not limited to her own property; she is an enthusiastic, persistent advocate, giving presentations and writing articles to encourage everyone to provide food and habitat for these important species. More than just bees and butterflies, pollinators also include birds, bats, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, and some small mammals.
Recently, Sharon emailed to remind me that June 22-28 is National Pollinator week and pointed me in the direction of the organization Pollinator Partnership, and their list of “7 Things You Can Do for Pollinators”:
1. Plant for pollinators
2. Reduce or eliminate the impact of pesticides
3. Register your pollinator habitat site
4. Reach out to others—inform and inspire
5. Support local bees and beekeepers
6. Conserve all of our resources; use less and reduce your impact
7. Support the work of groups promoting science-based, practical efforts for pollinators
(Complete details at https:// www.pollinator.org/7things.)
Sharon also attached a writeup she’d done on how to “Plan to Plant for Pollinators,” and invited me to share it with you. Here are her most important points.
“An important first step in providing for pollinators, is to plan for supporting pollinators on our own properties by learning what to purchase and plant. You may hear people emphasize the importance of planting native plants; however, there are non-native plants that also support our pollinators. For example, flowers like dahlias, not native to North America, still keep bees very happy. To change this native/nonnative thinking, Doug Tallamy— author, speaker, and Professor of Entomology at the University of Delaware—has coined the term ‘productive plants’.
“The key to purchasing plants that will support pollinators is selection and succession. It’s not just about what is pretty or what is in bloom right now.
“Selection: Consider how much space you have (in-ground, or on a deck or patio), type of soil, amount of moisture, and hours of sunshine. Tip: If a plant is described as requiring “full sun,” it really means the plant needs a minimum of 6-8 hours of sunshine.
“Succession: It’s easy to fall for the beautiful plants blooming right now, but pollinators need food, shelter, and habitat yearround. Try to plan for what gardeners call “continuous bloom.” You do this by choosing plants that flower at different times during the season, e.g., spring, early summer, mid-summer, late summer, and fall. Migrating pollinators need to bulk up for their journey, while permanent residential pollinators rely on seeds, nuts, and seedpods to survive the winter. Please don’t tidy up your fall garden too much—leave the leaf litter for our native insects’ larvae, and leave seed pods and berries for the birds!
“Before you go shopping, create at least a partial list of pollinator-supporting plants. It also helps to shop at garden centers/ nurseries that specialize in native and productive plants. You can call ahead or check websites to see if they have what you want.
And also ask for advice!
“There are many resources and websites on line to assist you in selecting productive plants. The National Wildlife Federation provides a link to the plants most beneficial to the pollinators living in individual Zip code areas: https://www.nwf.org/Garden-forWildlife/about/native-plants.”
Another great resource is Backyards for Nature, a program of the Valley Forge Audubon Society http://valleyforgeaudubon. org/native-plants/
Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Share your gardening stories on Facebook at “Chester County Roots.” Pam’s book for children and families, Big Life Lessons from Nature’s Little Secrets, is available on Amazon, along with her companion field journal, Explore Outdoors, at Amazon.com/ author/pamelabaxter.