Authored by: Carma Yoder, Williams County Master Gardener Volunteer

This past spring, my local extension office contacted me to see if I would have interest in designing a garden with the primary aim to create a manageable natural habitat for pollinators. Visiting the site, I considered several key factors: size of proposed garden, sun exposure, and soil type. The area was approximately 26 x 5 foot, and it had full sun exposure. The soil was primarily clay, which is good for water retention but can sometimes make it difficult to start plants by direct sowing seeds.

Purchasing plants or obtaining divisions from people will be the best choice for the owner.

Before proposing a plan for the garden, I took the opportunity to do more research on native plants and the best choices for pollinators. The book that served as my main source of information is The Pollinator Victory Garden by Kim Eierman. It had a wealth of knowledge which helped me decide what would need done to make the area as manageable as possible long-term. The following is a summary of the book, as well as some main takeaways and how they can be useful in the planning of a garden that is primarily for the benefit of local pollinators.

First, it is important to get a clear picture of the importance of pollinators. Currently, 1 in 4 native bee species in North America and Hawaii are imperiled and at risk of extinction (Eierman, 6). Contributing to the decline of native bees is the use of pesticides. Finally, climate change is an ongoing threat which proves the increasing need for diligence in the way we interact with our natural environment.

Do we need pollinators? Fundamentally, without them, we face worldwide starvation. Eighty-four percent of crops grown for food for humans need pollination (Eierman, 11), and at least 80% of all flowering plants on Earth depend on pollinators for reproduction (Eierman, 10). These statistics make a compelling case for the need to protect and provide for these hardworking pollinators.

Before discussing how we can proactively protect these pollinators, we need to know who our pollinators are. Most people immediately think of bees when they hear the word pollinator. Globally, there are 20,000 species of bees with 3,600 being native to the United States and Canada. Bumble bees are the only true social native bees in the US. Honeybees are not native to the US but were brought here from Europe. Other common pollinators in the United States are butterflies, beetles, wasps, hummingbirds, and bats. Not only do we want to plant for nectar and pollen, but we also want to make sure to provide proper habitats for these pollinators.

Let us begin with WHAT we should plant. The great news about pollinators is that they love what is native to an area. There are so many beautiful plant choices available, and we often make decisions about what to plant based on what we personally like, but we do not always choose what might be best for the pollinators. When selecting plants for pollinators, native plants are best. Native plants are already adapted to the area in which you live which means they need little maintenance once established; they increase biodiversity; and most have deep root systems which means less soil erosion and less water needed to sustain them.

There are numerous books and websites that will provide extensive lists on what is native to your area. A great place to begin would be the following OSU website: https://u.osu.edu/beelab/gardening-for-bees/

Other helpful websites include the following: https://www.wildflower.org/collections/ (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center) and https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator- friendly-plant-lists (Xerces Society).

Now that we have some guidance on WHAT is best to plant, let us take a closer look at WHERE to plant these native pollinators. First, you will need to consider the individual needs of each item: Do they need full sun or shade? Do they like a well-drained area or more moisture as in wetlands or a marsh? Will the area be large enough for pollinators to find it? Will the plants create a natural habitat for the pollinators? Answering these questions through careful research will allow you to choose native plants, trees, grasses, and bushes that will benefit the pollinators. Using the listed websites and resources and others that you may find, you can create a list of plants that will meet the needs of your landscape.

Lastly, we will consider the HOW of planting native plants. Every time you plant a native habitat, no matter how small, you are helping the pollinators. But the author of The Pollinator Victory Garden does present key practices to consider. First, plant diversity is important because it equals animal/pollinator diversity. Choose plants that together will create a continuous blooming season. For example, a hawthorn bush will bloom in April- May, while wild bergamot (flower) will bloom June-September. Adding both to your garden will create a full season of blooms for the bumble bee.