Attracting Pollinators to Your Vegetable Garden
Vegetable gardens can benefit from pollinators such as bees, birds, and butterflies. Pollinating insects can increase the number and variety of vegetables you can grow, as well as increasing the size of your harvest. Here are a few tips for attracting pollinators to your vegetable garden.
Provide Nectar Sources
Bees and other pollinators feed on nectar and pollen. To provide them with these necessary nutrients, consider planting:
- Flowering plants like sunflowers, cosmos, coneflower, and bachelor’s buttons
- Herbs like oregano, parsley, and basil
- Fruit trees like apples, cherries, and plums
For a continuous source of nectar for pollinators, consider planting a mix of annuals and perennials.
Create Shelter
Pollinators need access to nectar and shelter in order to thrive in your garden. To provide shelter, consider planting:
- Trees and shrubs like eucalyptus, rosemary, holly, and native trees
- Groundcovers like thyme and creeping phlox
- Perennials like daisies, goldenrod, and butterfly weed
You can also use rocks, straw piles, and dead wood in your garden as habitat for pollinators.
Eliminate Pesticides
Many pesticides can harm pollinators, so it is important to eliminate pesticide applications in your vegetable garden. Instead, consider natural pest control methods such as handpicking, row covers, and beneficial insects.
Provide Water Sources
Pollinators need access to water, so it’s important to provide water sources such as birdbaths and shallow dishes in your garden.
Creating a pollinator-friendly garden is essential to having a healthy and productive vegetable garden. By providing nectar sources, shelter, eliminating pesticides, and providing water sources, you can create a thriving environment for pollinators and your vegetables.
