As the weather continues to warm and we all start to get ready for the season of backyard barbeque bashes and garden growing galas, there are a few things to keep in mind to make your yard a paradise. You want to get the most out of your yard and your garden, but you can’t do it alone. Don’t worry though. You don’t have to hire that expensive landscaper. There are thousands of little helping hands that work for free. 

 

This spring make your backyard the place to be for people and pollinators alike. By following a few basic steps, you can encourage butterflies, hummingbirds, and more to go to work pollinating your plants. So, drop the pesticides and get ready to promote the pollinator party!

 

Why Pollinators?

 

You’ve most likely heard that pollinators bring great benefits to your garden, but do you know why? Well, first we need to understand how plants thrive. Obviously they thrive when they have the perfect mixture of nutrients, sun, and water. But, even if they have perfect conditions and grow to be big and strong, they still need help making the seeds, fruits, and new plants that we depend on.

 

When a pollinator collects pollen from one plant, then travels to a nearby flower, they spread that pollen from plant to plant. This ensures that any plants they share their pollen with will produce full-bodied fruit and a full set of viable seeds (crucial for plant reproduction). In fact, worldwide nearly 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, spices, and medicines NEED to be pollinated in order to produce the final good that we use. These range from apples to coffee. Insects are responsible for the creation of nearly $40 billion worth of products each year. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the vast majority of foods and medicines that we use every day.

 

The Great Decline

 

So, hopefully by now you can see the huge impact that pollinators have. Sadly, pollinator populations have been declining in recent years due to issues such as: habitat loss, invasive plant and animal introductions, disease, and pesticide use. Many species that thrived in years past now find themselves as “listed species”, meaning that there is evidence of their rapid decline in nature and a large-scale effort to turn that trend around. Honeybees in the U.S, for example, have declined over 50% in the past 10 years. It is a major issue that threatens our food reserves and medicine sources. Thankfully, the City of LA is working with the National Wildlife Federation to become the nation’s largest certified community wildlife habitat, which will help raise awareness to pollinator populations, but let’s take a look at what else can be done.

 

Let’s Change Things Around!

 

Many of the reasons for the decline of pollinator species are due to large corporations or legislative pitfalls, but there are many things that we can do at an individual level to help improve pollinator populations in our communities. Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to drive some traffic to your garden this spring:

  • Use a wide variety of plants that bloom from early spring into late fall.
      • By planting flowers and vegetables native to your region you can help pollinators find food and energy sources that they recognize. These native plants also have the necessary nutrients to help pollinators avoid starvation. Always be sure to plant in clumps, rather than single plants. This will give pollinators a variety of nearby options that will help them conserve energy looking for food sources.
  • Avoid modern hybrids.
      • Many of the seeds developed for us have been genetically modified to produce huge fruits for us, but no pollen and nectar for our pollinator friends. Butterflies and other insects may find these flowers as a food source, only to be let down.
  • Put down the pesticides.
      • Pesticides were largely responsible for the decline of native bee populations in the U.S. They harm so many species, that experts agree pesticides are some of the most harmful substances that we can put into our environment. 
  • Include larval host plants.
      • We all love a beautiful butterfly, but to get that we need to care for the hungry little caterpillar. By planting a butterfly garden, you can have something in place for every stage of a butterfly’s life. Learn more about how to do this here.
  • Create a damp salt lick for butterflies and bees.
      • Use a dripping hose, drip irrigation line, or place your bird bath on bare soil to create a damp area. Mix a small bit of table salt (sea salt is better!) or wood ashes into the mud.
  • Keep your limbs.
      • Dead limbs on your trees can make great nesting sites for native bees. Or, try your hand at building a bee condo for solitary bees!
  • Nectar and other resources.
      • To give your hummingbirds some much needed nutrients, place a hummingbird feeder in your yard. Be sure to follow precise recipes to make sure that hummingbirds are never getting fed artificial sweeteners, honey, or fruit juices as these can kill these tiny birds. You can also leave out slices of overripe bananas, oranges, and other fruits to attract butterflies to your property. 
  • Don’t forget about moths and bats!
    • Moths and bats are unique pollinators in that they come around at night. Be sure to include some plants that bloom during the night for these night crawlers.

 

Remember that your garden will never reach its full potential without some pollinator help. So, get planting and have your next gathering be a pollinator party. 

 

Have any other questions about our native pollinators? Feel free to contact us on lastormwater@lacity.org.