Keep That Food Out For Pollinators!

    Pollinators. We don't even think about the tiny players that keep the ecosystem perking along the pollination cycle of life. Tiny bees, butterflies, and many other winged friends play a pivotal role in the health of many habitats as well as in our food supply.
    Making our green spaces friendly to pollinators has become an essential part of being good stewards of the Earth. As more and more wild spaces are developed, natural habitats are replaced with low maintenance landscapes which often leave the plates completely empty for our flying friends.
    While a patch of wildflowers could offer thousands of nectar-filled small blossoms for bugs to enjoy, the St. Augustine lawns and evergreen hedges, while lovely, do nothing to support their well-being. Insecticide and lawn mowing double down on the negatives as do ground cover mulches and weed barriers because many bees and pollinators live underground in nests that we don't even see. If the flower beds are all mulched and filled with weed barriers, the pollinators can't burrow in to make nurseries for their young and thus the cycle of life is disrupted further.
    A few small steps and pollinator-friendly features can make your landscape a welcoming spot of environmental stewardship. Even a window box, water source or planter can be a welcome retreat as can patio flower containers and hanging baskets. It is all about providing a little nectar and nurture for our buzzing buddies.
    Simple additions such as pollinator houses/hotels, native plants, and a reduction in the use of pesticides can make a big difference.
    Try adding a few of these pollinator-friendly plants to your yard this fall: Anise hyssops, black-eyed Susan, cannas, coral honeysuckle, celosia, gaillardia, marigolds, passionflower vine, pentas, purple coneflower, salvias, basil, cilantro, mint, bee balm, rosemary, buttonbush, cassia, saw palmetto, etc. Bees really enjoy white, yellow, and blue-purple flowers more than the red or orange that attract hummingbirds.
    There are 315 species of wild bees living in our neck of the woods. To learn more about how to help the pollinators go to https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1255. They have lots of resources on how to help the bees be at home in your garden.
    Keep those pictures and ideas coming. We love to share the fun in the garden with others. Please send me a picture of what is in your garden this week to hollynewby1@aol.com. or drop a photo with your name on it by our office at 131 N. Central Avenue. Keep growing…