So You Want to Support Pollinators – Part 3

This is the last in a 3-part series on changing at least some of your landscape to support pollinators. The first part (here) was about understanding the benefits of doing so. Last week we covered ‘how to start,’ which included evaluating your space and researching/choosing your plants. As we head into the season of spring native plants sales in Georgia, you’ll want the list of plants you’ve chosen handy. 

You’ve picked your spot and figured out how much sun and moisture it has. You’ve researched your plants and made a list of what you plan to use. Now it’s time to lay out the design. Here are some things to consider:

Grouping plants: Bees, in particular, are better supported by groups of the same plant. Rather than plant one of twenty different things, include 3-5 of each species and plant them in a group so the pollinators can move from flower to flower. Grouping is also more aesthetically pleasing to humans so your design will be attractive to your neighbors as well. Knowing the mature size of the plant will allow you to place them far enough apart to give them room without going further than necessary. For a fuller look, plant closer together but recognize that you might adjust (i.e., move them around) as they reach mature size. Draw out your design on a piece of paper so that you remember what you planned when it comes time to plant.

An example of a design where each number represents a different type of plant

Leave space for ground nesting bees: Leave a few bare areas off to the side so that ground-nesting bees have a safe place to make their nests. These aren’t yellow jackets that I’m talking about, but small, solitary bees that provision for a few eggs and then leave the larvae to grow up on their own. See more information at this link and good pictures at this link.

I noticed this ground-nesting Colletes bee in 2014

Now you can buy your plants! Here are some things to consider:

Source: buy from reputable native plant suppliers, including special spring sales that groups use for fundraising and small, local nurseries who are trying to make a living by growing native plants.

Size: perennials usually come in quart and gallon size; consider the value for what you’re getting, check for bloom buds (know that quarts may not bloom the first year but you might be able to buy more of them) and good root growth. A gallon-sized plant might have just been stepped up from a quart and isn’t any older than the cheaper quart.

Pesticides: ask if the plants were grown with neonicotinoid pesticides; these are harmful to insects and can even have residue present in the nectar and pollen as well as the leaves for the first year. We don’t want to attract pollinators only to harm them.

Prep the ground just before planting by removing any weeds or grasses, amending with compost if you like, and leveling or mounding the ground to fit your design. Install the plants so they are no deeper in the ground than they would have been in the pot (don’t over-dig the depth of your holes or they may sink after being watered). Lightly loosen the roots if they are bound and spread them to the sides to encourage them to explore their new home. Gently press the soil around each plant to reduce air pockets.

I also like to include a few rocks for butterfly basking and for small lizards/salamanders to hide under.  You might even do a puddling station for the butterflies. Adding a tall stick/pole is helpful for dragonflies that might like to visit (and eat a few mosquitoes). Modest amounts of untreated mulch/pinestraw (don’t use the colored mulch, it has chemicals) help retain moisture but leave some un-mulched areas on the edges for ground bees. Water your plants after planting.

Protect your new garden from the harsh realities of nature! Water your plants as needed the first summer and fall if you don’t get sufficient rain. Protect from any deer as needed; I use Liquid Fence but there are other protects and methods to deter them.

The next step is the fun part: Observation! Keep a journal to record what you see, what is doing well, what you wish you had more of, or what did poorly. By sharing your experience with others, you might get more ideas for plants to add in the fall (more native plant sales!).

Left: Southeastern blueberry bee, Center: Tiger swallowtail (dark form); Right: Longhorn beetles 

Here are some specific maintenance tips to consider going forward:

1. Re-evaluate during the blooming season if your thoughts on light and moisture turned out to be not quite right (too much or too little).
2. Re-evaluate for quantity and placement of plants (are the big ones crowding out the small ones, do you need more milkweed).
3. At the end of the season, lightly tidy as needed but leave as many stems, seed heads, and foliage as you can; these harbor small insects for birds to eat during the winter. They may also contain the chrysalides of butterflies.
4. Come spring, clean up foliage but leave 10-12 inches of stems from the bigger perennials. Stem-nesting bees will use them to harbor the next generation: the year of 2019’s living stems are used in spring of 2020 to make nests and those bees will emerge in spring 2021 (see my previous blog here). I take any foliage that I remove and lightly create a stick pile in a shady area; that way any bugs have a chance to safely emerge.

Have fun, learn from your mistakes, and shout your successes for new people to learn.

Newly planted area in 2014; it is now overtaken by tiny asters and this
Penstemon smallii is nowhere to be found in this bed! Things grow and change.