Plants To Attract Pollinators

[puff_not_snuff]

I have been doing a bit of gardening the last two years, mainly vegetables but some flowers and such too. This year I started a bunch of borage from seed and now a few of the plants are chest high. The amount of pollinators in the garden this summer is extraordinary: I would say easily a 50% increase over last year, just based on observation. They are interpolated with my pepper, tomato, fava, okra plants and such, so I am hoping for a better yield this year. Below is an interesting article on borage. I've been using the flowers in salads and whatnot. If anyone has had similar experiences with plants that attract pollinators please share.

Borage: The Pimm's decoration that powered the Crusaders and lifted 'dusky melancholie' - Country Life

Once considered so sacred that Druids consecrated their weapons with its starflower petals before battle, borage deserves more recognition, says Ian Morton.

www.countrylife.co.uk

 

[chilllucky]

We're working with a local chapter of a regional conservation group to restore about 2/3 of the old hay field we bought to retire on back to native tall grass prairie.

So far they have helped us with two burns and some seeding. It still mostly looks like an overgrown hay field, but just the smattering of flowering native plants has already really changed the insect life on our property. We see more bumble and carpenter bees, several more species of butterfly, and less of the crop pest bugs like Japanese beetle.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

We're working with a local chapter of a regional conservation group to restore about 2/3 of the old hay field we bought to retire on back to native tall grass prairie.

So far they have helped us with two burns and some seeding. It still mostly looks like an overgrown hay field, but just the smattering of flowering native plants has already really changed the insect life on our property. We see more bumble and carpenter bees, several more species of butterfly, and less of the crop pest bugs like Japanese beetle.

Sounds like a wonderful project. It's amazing how nature can heal if given a nudge. Do you have issues with Chinese Lantern Flies yet, out your way?

 

[chilllucky]

Just looked that little guy up. So far, no. We do have a problem with the "asian beetle" orange lady bug looking things. Renewed populations of pollinators have necessarily attracted their own hunters and pests. Been seeing more variety of hornets and wasps and assassin beetles.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Just looked that little guy up. So far, no. We do have a problem with the "asian beetle" orange lady bug looking things. Renewed populations of pollinators have necessarily attracted their own hunters and pests. Been seeing more variety of hornets and wasps and assassin beetles.

Well be thankful as last year here on the east coast I would kill something like 50 a day and apparently they are moving west. This summer I have only seen nymphs so far, hopefully native predators are starting to control their population or something.

 

[Hillcrest]

My yard has naturally growing (thanks to birds) wild raspberry patches which attract bumble bee and honey bees, some white border flowers (I think a weed) seen along highways and milkweed plants which attract and are 96% of the migrating monarch butterflies diet. Also the hedges bloom white flowerrs, the clover and wild strawberry (tiny) in the lawn attract pollinators. These came naturally and were not planted by us but we don't remove them either. Hope that helps and gives some ideas. I have found that if you buy some blackberries and strawberrys in the produce department and plant one or two along a border they sometimes develop one plant which the birds will eat fruit then 'deposit' seed elsewhere along the woodline.

 

[pantsBoots]

Clover. I use crimson clover as a cover crop and white clover grows naturally. When the crimson clover flowers is when I start seeing significant amounts of honey bees for the year.

 

[kschatey]

Clover. I use crimson clover as a cover crop and white clover grows naturally. When the crimson clover flowers is when I start seeing significant amounts of honey bees for the year.

Yup. Bees are going crazy over the clover in my years right now. I thought I read that marigolds are good in the garden for bees as well. Trying to track down the info a friend gave me to verify and share.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I would highly recommend planting buddlea for insects, it's not known as the 'butterfly bush' for nothing!

Heaps of long lasting beautiful flowers in a huge range of shapes & colours, they brighten up any garden and insects love them.

In fact they are so common around here (Cornwall, UK) that they can be found growing on any waste ground, particularly around the old disused copper/tin mine sites.

Regards,

Jay.

 

[pantsBoots]

Yup. Bees are going crazy over the clover in my years right now. I thought I read that marigolds are good in the garden for bees as well. Trying to track down the info a friend gave me to verify and share.

Yes, they do like marigolds, but all marigolds are not created equal and some are quite high in pyrithrin. There's even an edible marigold called "Lemon Gem"

 

[jpmcwjr]

I like to suggest a source that has damn good info on virtually everything connected to growing:

Just type in subject followed by "ucdavis". That will get you to a vast site run by, you guessed it, the Ag dept. of (California) University at Davis.

 

[Swampfox]

We planted a butterfly garden in our yard a couple years ago here in FL. It has been very successful. Bees (honey bees) have flocked to the heather we planted (it blooms almost year round here). They also love our bottlebrush tree. I second jpmcwjr’s advice. Across the southeast land grant schools (UF, UGA, Auburn, etc) have a wealth of knowledge published for local gardening/farming advice. I’m sure there is a university in your area that has done the same. If not, look for local master gardener chapters. Good luck.

 

[AcesAndEights]

I worked for a landscaping install crew back in the day. We planted a lot of Russian sage. It does great in hot direct sunlight in our fairly dry climate. I’ve never seen a plant attract more bees.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Yes, they do like marigolds, but all marigolds are not created equal and some are quite high in pyrithrin. There's even an edible marigold called "Lemon Gem"

Have you had any luck with marigolds deterring certain pests?

 

[pantsBoots]

Have you had any luck with marigolds deterring certain pests?

Nope! I tried several years interplanting marigolds among all sorts of fruits and veggies to no avail. The only thing I didn't try was completely encircling a bed with marigolds. I might try that in the future, might not.

So far, the only reliable deterrent I've had is my rabbit repellant, which is garlic, crushed red pepper, and a drop of soap in a gallon of water, poured around the crops in protecting. It has to be applied after every rainfall or if I do overhead watering.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Nope! I tried several years interplanting marigolds among all sorts of fruits and veggies to no avail. The only thing I didn't try was completely encircling a bed with marigolds. I might try that in the future, might not.

So far, the only reliable deterrent I've had is my rabbit repellant, which is garlic, crushed red pepper, and a drop of soap in a gallon of water, poured around the crops in protecting. It has to be applied after every rainfall or if I do overhead watering.

Oh, I will try that thanks as I am having issues with rabbits too. I did sprinkle some garlic around my beds, not sure how effective that was. I have also tried coyote urine but the stuff isn't cheap and is well, really really rank.

 

[pantsBoots]

Oh, I will try that thanks as I am having issues with rabbits too. I did sprinkle some garlic around my beds, not sure how effective that was. I have also tried coyote urine but the stuff isn't cheap and is well, really really rank.

Never saw coyote urine before, but have seen fox urine in hunting supply stores. I've heard good things, but as you say, it's a little expensive (must be labor-intensive getting fox to pee into those little sample cups).