WHY HUMMINGBIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, AND BEES COME TO MY SMALL GARDEN
My wife and I moved to our current home over six years ago. We downsized, and our garden areas are downsized as well. But that doesn’t stop me from planting a variety of native perennials that are pollinator-friendly. A small space may be more challenging. But, if your mission is to grow and create a pollinator-friendly garden, then it can be done, no matter the size. I’m a good example of how this can be accomplished.
A pollinator garden contains pollinator-friendly plants that provide both food and shelter for the winter. Pollinators are animals that go from flower to flower looking for nectar and pollen. Pollination is the transfer of the male pollen grains from a flower to the female part of another flower.
Here’s the bottom line: Without pollinators visiting all of our flowering plants, we would have NO fruits, vegetables, or seeds. People would be in a lot of trouble without pollinators.
Here we are in the last week of July, with August starting this weekend. Yes, you can still plant. The two biggest challenges with planting now are the heat and the little rainfall. You can be successful in growing in July. Just need to be very aware of watering. Come and see us. We have an incredible native plant section. If you have a small section that you want to get started with pollinator-friendly plants, then don’t hesitate to do it now.
HOW CAN WE HELP POLLINATORS?
- Grow native pollinator-friendly flowers for food.
- Focus on a variety of colorful, nectar-rich flowers.
- Eliminate any use of pesticides.
- Keep the area very natural – leave the fallen branches, leaves, etc. These items are beneficial to our pollinators, especially during the winter months. Look at this as beauty.
- Provide a water source. In the middle of my plants, I have a large saucer for water. In the water, I have a couple of rocks. I also have some branches lying over the water. I freshen the water almost daily. I love looking out my kitchen window and seeing birds giving themselves a bath and enjoying the water that I provide for them. It puts a smile on my face.
- I plan to plant a couple more native plants soon. I have room without overcrowding the plants.
If we all do our part at home, NO MATTER IF YOU ONLY HAVE ROOM FOR ONE OR TWO PLANTS, then the pollinators will reward us with wonderful fruits and vegetables for years to come. Never think that you can not make a difference. You can. We all can.
PLANT A LITTLE HAPPINESS FOR US AND FOR OUR WONDERFUL, NATIVE FRIENDS!!!!!