How To Create A Garden That Attracts Native Pollinators? For Beginners!

Whether grown in the wild or by humans, nearly all plants depend on natural pollinators to reproduce. They include a variety of animals, including certain birds, hummingbirds, bats, and insects like bees, butterflies, beetles, and flies.

Animal pollinators don’t deliberately strive to transfer pollen from one flower to another. As a substitute, they feed on floral nectar and pollen and are drawn to the blooms by their color, shape, and aroma.

To create a garden for native pollinators, firstly, pick plants that help pollinators. Choose native plants for your landscape. Think of plants with various nectar sources, such as bushes, trees, and flowers — ideally, all native species. 

Early in the spring, when food is limited, woodland plants, including dogwood, blueberry, plum, and willow, supply pollen or nectar.

To draw insects from springtime until fall, choose plants that will blossom continuously during the entire growing period from spring to fall.

Here are some ways how to attract native pollinators to your garden:

Group pollinator plants together.

Layer at least three to five pollinator plant species in your garden. Insects will be able to acquire the food they require from them more readily, and you’ll get lovely color variations.

Consider a Container.

Planting one in a container is another approach to making a pollinator garden. Be certain that the plants you are grouping in pots require similar maintenance.

Deadhead flowers regularly.

Most pollen and nectar are found in newly opened flowers. The plants frequently develop even more fresh flowers to attract pollinators if you trim withered or faded blooms.

Avoid using pesticides.

Avoid applying pesticides because while they frequently eliminate pests, they might also kill beneficial insects. Use your hose’s powerful stream of water to spray plant-eating insects, or try hand-picking insects off to get rid of them.

Insert Water.

Water, such as that found in a birdbath, is another element that pollinators require. Add a small pebble to your birdbath to provide a secure resting and drinking area for insects.

Include “Companion Plants”.

The appropriate plant combinations can draw pollinators and naturally ward off pests. For instance, planting dill and basil next to tomatoes can provide protection from tomato hornworms. Companion plants enhance one another’s health and yields when they are partnered.

Moreover, combine vegetables and flowers. You are not required to choose between cultivating food and ornamental plants. Numerous different flower varieties mislead “bad” bugs while promoting your garden’s health.

Related: Companion Planting for Potatoes: Can You Plant Potatoes After Tomatoes?

How To Design A Pollinator Garden?

To improve your landscaping, look for any of these plants. They are well renowned for drawing a wide variety of pollinators.

Black-Eyed Susan

Grow black-eyed Susans with a pool of vibrant yellow flowers in your garden. These flowers’ lovely blossoms attract lots of pollinators to your garden. Furthermore, drought-resistant, these native plants are simple to maintain.

Butterfly Bush

The pleasant aroma of the butterfly bush draws pollinators from far and wide. But, in warmer regions of the country, this flower can be weedy, so before planting it, find out if it’s a troublesome plant there.

Yarrow

Thanks to the famous and simple-to-grow yarrow, your pollinator garden will have a wildflower appearance—plant yarrow along edges or as an ornamental grass to attract pollinating bees to your area. Deadheading is necessary to encourage the plant to rebloom.

How Do I Attract Native Bees To My Garden?

The most crucial pollinators in the environment are native bees. The essential native solitary bees for producing food and flowers are mason bees and leafcutter bees. 

Several of our native bees can buzz pollinate, which honey bees cannot, and certain of our native plants need this form of pollination.

Buzz pollination involves vibrating the plant’s blossom to cause the release of pollen. A further example of these buzz pollinators is the blue-banded bee.

Native bees favor native plants but won’t wait for your garden to bloom before visiting. Bees must consume pollen and nectar to survive; therefore, if your garden has no blooms, they won’t stay.

While resin and leafcutter bees frequently become active in summertime, furrow bees start exploring as soon as spring begins. Native bees will be content all year if you cultivate a range of regionally native plants that bloom from early spring to late October.

Avoid using insecticides if you wish to attract bees. The pollen and nectar are deadly for a few weeks or months after spraying since they remain in the plant long. As a result, you risk unintentionally harming the natural bees that frequent your garden.

What Is The Best Location For A Pollinator Garden?

Although flowering plants can thrive in sunny and shady environments, keep your target audience in mind. Several wildflowers that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators do best in full or partial sunlight with some wind protection.

Your garden should have as much sun as possible since pollinating insects need to be warm to be active. Yet, if you have a shaded yard, keep going; you can still have a productive pollinator garden in a more shaded area.

Insects lose their ability to breed, consume, and provide for their nests when it gets colder. They also become less active. Even while it’s still cool outside, the sun aids in their warming.

Because they can feed and stay warm at the same time in a sunny garden, pollinators can extend their time spent foraging.

What Plants Encourage Native Bees?

Even though not every plant in your garden needs to be “native,” those that are will grow more successfully and attract more pollinators. Together with local vegetation, native animals such as birds and wildlife also evolved.

You must add plants with lots of nectar-rich flowers to draw pollinators to your garden; no ordinary plant will do.

Numerous vines, shrubs, and trees also produce blooms that attract pollinators. Bees and other flying insects appear to find flowers with vivid colors—typically oranges, reds, and yellows—to be the most alluring.

Open or flat flowers that make it simple to reach pollen and nectar make them among the best blooms for luring species to pollinator gardens.

How Do You Build A Native Habitat For Bees?

Providing undisturbed locations where native bees can build their nests is the most remarkable way to offer them nests. 

For nesting purposes, native bees typically rely on unaltered sections of bare soil, sand or clay banks, and living and dead plant matter.

Manufactured habitats are gaining popularity in supporting local native bee populations.

Many native bees don’t live in colonies; they live alone in holes, grasses, or other safe places. Build a local bee motel to assist them.

Drilling holes in a dead tree still upright in various diameters is one straightforward approach to making a bee house. These holes will serve as nesting places for bees and other insects.

Most native bees build their nests in the soil, wood, or stems. We remove many old branches and stems that native bees require because humans want neat yards. 

Leave exposed areas of ground, old hollowed or pithy stems, and old wood for native bees to use as nesting sites in your yard.