Bring in the butterflies: Planting a pollinator garden
We plant all different kinds of gardens, but some do more for our ecosystem than you can even guess — including a pollinator garden. These are specially designed to attract and support creatures like bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
“70% of the world’s food crops require pollination,” Bethany Harris, director of the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’d have no variety in fruits and vegetables without pollinators.
Pollinators have a very important role in the food chain, so why not give them a beautiful garden to work in? It’s a small way to make a big impact.
Picking the plants
A large assortment of flowers, trees, shrubs and grasses attracts pollinators, giving you a lot of options.
“Native plants are more adapted to our area and climate, but you need to have plants with overlapping bloom times to get you from the spring through the fall,” Harris said.
According to the University of Georgia Field Report on The Eco-Friendly Garden, “butterflies and bees have innate flower color preference.” This study showed that many were drawn to brightly colored blooms, with bees preferring purple.
Cobb County Master Gardener Becky Blades has her favorite pollinator flowers but uses a special strategy to target butterflies.
“Butterflies like a really big, broad, flat surface to land on, which makes daisies good,” Blades told the AJC.
Having the right combination of plants in your pollinator garden also helps pollinators thrive. For example, milkweed doesn’t attract butterflies, but it’s the only food caterpillars will eat.
The right conditions
With so many pollinator-friendly plants, you can start your garden at any time. According to Blades, the best time to plant trees and shrubs is in the fall, while more delicate plants should go in mid-April, after the last frost.
If you’re wondering about soil condition, Harris suggests contacting your local extension office for help testing your soil. She also stresses the importance of fertilizing your garden, preferring a six-month, slow-release formula for a boost.
Pesticides should be used sparingly, if at all, since many contain ingredients especially harmful to bees.
“Be aware of what you’re applying to your yard. If you do have to use pesticides, use them later in the day or early in the evening before bees become active,” Harris said.
Once your garden is in bloom, join the Great Southeast Pollinator Census in August. It takes about 15 minutes, and it’s a fun way to get the whole family involved by collecting data.
