How To Attract Pollinators To Your Flower And Vegetable Gardens
By Erica Groneman
What would we do without pollinators? These tiny creatures, the bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, mosquitos, etc. are critical to our ecosystem and way of life. Without pollinators, we wouldn’t have tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, or squash. So, how do we attract these important critters? It’s simple. Plant what they like to eat. With it being National Pollinator Week (June 19-25th, 2023), we can’t imagine a better time to help support pollinator habitats and beautify our outdoor spaces.
Butterflies
10% of your purchase of the Save The Monarchs Seed Collection goes to Monarch Joint Venture, partnering to conserve the monarch butterfly migration
Save the Monarchs Wildflower Mix
To Attract Butterflies experts suggest planting a wide variety of flowers. Try planting Mexican Sunflower, Yarrow, Butterfly Weed, or Salvia. Other good options are Black-Eyed Susan, Coneflowers (Echinacea), or Phlox. And if those don’t fit your fancy, you could go with the ever-trusty Marigold, Wildflowers, or Heliotrope.
In addition to planting a variety of flowers in your garden, you can also prepare a place for the butterflies to “puddle,” where they can get the critical minerals they need. To do this, fill a shallow dish or pan with sand, then saturate the sand with water. You can even put a few rocks in there where the butterflies can land. Put the puddler in a sunny, protected place so the butterflies can sunbathe in the early morning sun before they get off on their way. Creating a butterfly garden is one of the most rewarding activities.
Bees
Your purchase benefits the protection of all bees! With every purchase of Save the Bees Wildflower Seeds, True Leaf Market will make a special donation to The Bee Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that puts bees first.
Save the Bees Wildflowers
To Attract Bees to your garden, try planting blue, white, yellow, and purple flowers. These are the colors bees are most attracted to. Some common flowers bees like are bee balm (bergamot), purple coneflower, dill, mint, and sunflowers. We have a variety of Wildflower Mixes specially designed to attract bees. To lend the bees an extra hand, consider planting our Save the Bees wildflower mix linked above, as we are making a special donation to The Bee Conservancy with every purchase. You could also consider putting a bee box near your garden as a place for the bees to stay long-term. As with butterflies, bees can also benefit from having a place to get a drink, so putting a shallow dish of water near your garden with a few rocks or twigs for landing zones can help. Avoid using pesticides in your garden, as these are toxic for bees (and butterflies too).
Hummingbirds
To Attract Hummingbirds plant a variety of red flowers. They are also attracted to bright orange, yellow, and purple blooms. We recommend growing the Red Hot Sally II salvia, Poppy Power pollinator flower mix, columbine, mixed color morning glory, and hibiscus. Or, try this wildflower mixture to capture the hearts of your favorite winged friends.
Hummingbird and Butterfly Wildflower Mix
If you would like to attract hummingbirds within viewing distance of patios or windows, consider hanging a nectar feeder. These are filled with sugar water as a supplement to natural nectar. Be sure to avoid any that are made with red food dye, as the dye is not good for birds. Make your own with 1 part sugar and 4 parts water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Hang this in a place you can readily see and admire these tiny wonders as they pause to get a drink.
Happy Gardening!