Yarrow, Buddleia, and Other Pollinators

Let's face it. It's a good thing that tomatoes are self-pollinating because tomato flowers aren't sexy. Just a little dance in the breeze and like peppers, they are good to go.  But if you are growing cucurbits like squash, melons or cucumbers or mallows like cotton or okra you need a little help in the pollinating department. That's where our friend the bees and wasps are our friends in the garden.

The Lure of Color

Okra flowers are not flashy. They are beautifully formed and delicately colored but they aren't something that can be seen at a distance.

Squash, melon and cucumber flowers are usually a nice shade of yellow. But yellow isn't always an attractive color to lure in pollinators. Bees and our other flying friends are attracted by pinks, reds, and purples. There's a reason most hummingbird feeders are red.

Red can be seen at a distance. That makes it a great lure for pollinators.

Last summer I had great success getting pollinators in the garden with a few plants that flashed the colors the bees and wasps wanted.

Pink yarrow, purple buddleija and lavender were like magnets to the yard. Once lured in, the bees then moved along to visit the veggies that needed their attention.

The lure of sweet alyssum could not be ignored.  The yarrow, buddleija and lavender will be back next year. I won't need to plant those again. Alyssum isn't expensive, so I'll be planting it again as well.

A Time to Plan

My vegetable and flower gardens are asleep right now. Buried under a blanket of snow. But while the soil rests, I continue to toil.
I'm planning the garden. I'm selecting cultivars to try and longing for the return of tried and true friends. In just another few weeks, it will be time to start seeds.

During this time off, while you flip through the seed catalogs, don't give short shrift to the flowers. Not only will they delight your eyes and nose, they will make your garden more productive.

I'll start with pansies in pots. Hungry bees will be happy to see the blooms come late February and my yard will be a regular part of their food hunting regime. That's going to be important come June and July when I have vegetables to be pollinated.

But until then, the soils rests. And I plan for pollinators.