Attract Pollinators To Your Yard

Written by Gene Caballero on September 29, 2014

Einstein once said that if bees disappeared, humanity would follow. Well, bees are disappearing but thankfully the rate of colony collapse has slowed. Nonetheless, you can do what you need to to help bees by creating a garden that attracts pollinators to your yard. Pollinators like honeybees and bumblebees are vitally important to our local eco-systems. In the United States alone, bees and their pollination is responsible for $14 billion annually and one third of the food supply of North America comes from plants that require insects to pollinate them.

So, how do you attract pollinators to your yard. Well, GreenPal has the tips.

First of all, don't use pesticides in your yard. This is one of the biggest reasons bees are disappearing.
Second, start to plant plants that need to be pollinated. This will attract a population of bees to your yard to pollinate them, helping hives thrive and survive. Too often people choose to have the sterile lawn look, when you can have a look that is so much better with pollinating plants. Good flowers to plant are those that bloom for the entire season, not just for a couple of weeks.
Plant nectar-rich flowers because they attract not only pollinators, but hummingbirds as well.
Include larval host plants for butterflies, as this will help create a wonderful eco-system in your yard.
Plant a diversity of species that bloom from spring to fall, don't just have one kind of plant in your yard.

Having some good pollinating plants in your yard will not only attract bees, it will help your yard look better. The yard will smell wonderful and you will have the nice hum of bees in your yard. Not wasps, just bees, and if you let them do their thing, they will leave you alone as well. You will also be doing your part to help the bee population.

One last thing, and it is important, you need to make sure you use local plants. If you use invasive species, they could actually be harmful to the local wildlife and insect populations. Find plants that the bees in your neighborhood are accustom to and go with those.

Learn more about turning your yard into a thriving eco-system.