Member Report: Pollinator Gardens

 Certified Master Naturalist, Dr. Joe May, wrote this informative report on how to set up a Pollinator Garden. 

Creating a Pollinator Habitat

         While some homeowners may think an expansive green lawn free of weeds is desirable, to native bees and other pollinators, it is a virtual desert with nothing to eat and nowhere to live. Pollinators are extremely important for the food we eat and their continued existence is essential for the well-being of our planet. Most people think of Honeybees when they think of pollinators but Honeybees are not native and are only one of many pollinators we depend on. While Honeybees will travel up to two miles to forage, Native Bees, which number over 400 in the state of Virginia, must find food, nesting sites, and protection from the elements and predators within a home range of only 300 yards! In addition, Native Bees can be 50 times more efficient than Honeybees in pollinating the food we eat so it is essential that they be preserved and protected.

        With the changes in farming practices and the expansion of housing developments, roadways, and retail establishments, our Native Pollinators have lost tremendous amounts of suitable habitats and need our help to reverse this trend. Most Native Bees are solitary bees and their survival depends solely on the Queen bee’s ability to over winter, feed, mate, and successfully raise the next generation. They need our help to overcome the loss of habitat they need for continued survival. By creating a pollinator garden along with suitable nesting spots no matter how small, we can make a huge contribution to their continued survival and ours as well! Converting even a small part of a green lawn into native flowering plants will give Native Pollinators a huge boost. In addition, watching the flowers grow and seeing bees, butterflies, and other pollinators will give you a great sense of accomplishment and pleasure!

          

Bumblebee on Zinnia, Photo by Joe May

        The first step in creating a pollinator habitat is deciding on a location and whether to use seed or potted plants. Your garden location needs to get at least 6 hours of sun or more each day for the plants to grow properly and proximity to a water source for irrigation is an added benefit. This is especially important when the plants are first becoming established. The site selected must next be cleared of all vegetation. On small plots, this can be accomplished by digging out the sod along with plant roots to eliminate the grass, or alternatively, sheets of cardboard may be laid out on the sod for 2 months to kill the grass underneath. If this method is chosen, the grass should be cut as closely as possible and the area hosed down before applying the cardboard. Three layers of cardboard should be placed on the site and it will need to be weighed down with rocks or other heavy materials to hold it in place. For larger plots, spraying with an herbicide such as Roundup may be the best option. I have a half acre spot that I started with this method.

         If you choose the herbicide method, protective equipment is essential to prevent exposure to the chemical used. A dye available at your farm supply store can be added to the spray mixture so you can see the areas you’ve treated. It may require more than one application to eliminate all the vegetation. Fescue is best treated in the late fall as it continues to grow once things cool down in the fall. Once the vegetation is dead, it can be burned if the location allows it to be done safely or it can be removed and the area tilled to create a seed bed. If you choose to till the soil, it may be prudent to wait a few weeks or even a season to allow dormant seeds brought up to the surface the opportunity to germinate. Once they appear, a second spraying may be needed to get the bed ready for seed. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of eliminating all competing plants before planting your seeds!

        Once your site is prepared, your plants or seeds can be added to complete your project. Only native plants or seeds should be used. There are nurseries that specialize in native plants where you can purchase a selection of plants in pots ready for transplanting. For seeds, there are numerous mail order companies on the web that can supply your needs. I have been using American Meadows as my source but there are others as well. Be sure to select plants or seeds that will grow in your area and if deer are a problem, a deer resistant mix is the best way to go. For optimum results, strive to have 3 to 5 species of plants that flower in the spring, summer, and fall so the pollinators will have a food source all season long. Also, you may want to add multiple varieties of the same type plants since one or more may be superior in certain weather conditions. Milkweed, for example comes in a dozen different varieties and many pollinators including the Monarch butterfly are dependent on the plant for their existence.

        If you choose the plant method, arrange the plants (perennials are best) about a foot apart on your plot and dig individual holes for each plant being certain to pack the dirt around the roots to eliminate air pockets that would allow the roots to dry out. Water the plants thoroughly and follow with a layer of mulch to prevent the soil from drying out and you’re all set. Typically, fertilizer is not required since it can also stimulate the growth of competing weeds, but if your bed is weed and grass free, a little long acting fertilizer like Osmocote under each of your nursery plants will give them a boost! Once established, perennials will last for years with only occasional dividing and replanting to rejuvenate the plants. Extra plants created by division can either be shared with friends or can be used to start new plots. Fall and early spring are the best times to start perennials and it gives the roots time to grow and become established prior to the summer.

        I like to reserve a section in my perennial beds for annuals. Annuals add a lot of color to the beds and their seed heads supply food to birds and other garden inhabitants. Each spring, I till or dig up a long narrow seed bed on the front side of my flower bed. After preparing the soil, I sprinkle some long acting fertilizer and follow with direct seeding with Zinnia and Cosmos seeds that I also purchase from American Meadows. I follow this with a light dusting of potting soil and regular watering and I am rewarded with beautiful flowers just off my deck that are covered with butterflies, skippers, and native bees all summer long! Since both of these plants tend to be tall, I added a 2 foot woven wire fence on the edge of the seed bed to support the plants and to keep them off the electric fence I use to keep deer out of my beds. The plants quickly grow over the fence and it disappears once the flowers appear. In hindsight, I’ll add a second fence on the back side next year to keep them upright and off the garden path behind them. At the end of the season, I will harvest some of the seed heads and save them for replanting next year, the rest along with the plants will remain to provide feed and cover for the many birds that come to my feeders each winter. In spring, I will clean up the vegetation and do it all over again!

First year Poppies in bloom, Photo by Joe May

If you plan to use seed for your plot, pick a seed mix suitable for your location and one that is deer resistant if needed. You will need to figure out the square footage or size of your plot. Once you have the dimensions, there are charts on the seed sites that will help you determine how much seed you will need. Most of these seed mixes are a blend of both annual and perennial seeds. The annual seeds will bloom the first year but the perennials will need a year or two to get established. It is far better to overestimate the amount of seed you will need rather than underestimating. A dense plant bed is the best defense to invasive plants that will threaten all your hard work.

One plant in particular, Japanese Silt Grass, has been a real thorn in my side and I continually work to keep it under control. If it is anywhere near your plot, I highly recommend trying to eliminate it as much as possible to prevent deer and other animals from bringing seeds into your plot on their fur. I recently mowed the portion of my plot that was most severely affected and I will start over once I get it under control.

Wildflower seed mixes typically contain many hundreds of very tiny seeds. In order to spread them evenly and efficiently over your plot, I suggest getting a bag of play sand to mix with the seeds to give more volume when spreading them with either a hand cranked sower or by hand with a bucket. I also suggest splitting the mixture into 2 or 3 portions and covering the plot with each portion in multiple passes to get a more even seed distribution. Fertilizer should not be used and some weeds and native grasses should be expected. The plot can either be planted in early spring or the fall depending on the mix. Once the seed is spread, it should be compacted into the soil by either walking or driving on it to press the seed into the soil. Sufficient rainfall is essential to get the plot established. If it doesn’t rain, a sprinkler may be needed to get good seed germination. Most of the seed web sites have detailed instructions on planting and care of your plot.

Once established, the plot should be mowed or bush hogged to a height of 4 to 6 inches in late winter or early spring to control trees and undesirable plants that will sprout from seed blown in or brought by animals. Leaving it over the winter provides food and cover for both wildlife and native pollinators and will allow pollinator eggs deposited on vegetation during the summer the opportunity to hatch. Additional nesting sites can be added by creating brush piles, leaving fallen leaves in place over the winter, or by adding native bee habitats that can either be purchased or created from scraps of untreated wood or hollow plant stems. There are numerous sources for these along with their care and maintenance on the web.

Perennial Primrose in bloom, Photo by Joe May

Creating a native pollinator habitat can be very rewarding for you and extremely helpful to ensure the survival of these beneficial insects. Nothing is more relaxing or entertaining than watching butterflies and bees moving from flower to flower on a summer afternoon with your children or grandchildren. Take the time to observe your garden closely and you will be amazed at what you’ll see!

Recent view of the Meadow, Photo by Joe May

Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Photo by Joe May