What is a Pollinator?
Many plants and fruits breed by a pollinator transferring pollen from one plant to another. Without them, those plants will not bear fruit, and their ability to reproduce is compromised. Pollinators come in many shapes, sizes, and species! There are bees (3,999 species of native bees in the US alone), as well as wasps, flies, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, beetles, even bats. If you watch your flower garden you can see many visitors who enjoy your plants!
How do I start?
Planning is really worth the time. Take a measurement of your area, and use a piece of graph paper to make a to-scale measurement. 1 foot per square is usually easiest. Look at your plants maximum growth width, and then use that in your planning. Planting in odd numbers looks more natural (groups of 3, or 5), and swaths are best. Tallest plants can go in the middle, then as you approach edges the plants are shorter. Pick a mix of evergreen plants (native grasses can be great host plants) and perennials so your area doesn't become a brown patch part of the year. Mulching can suppress weeds and conserve water.
How do I find the right plants for my area?
If you live in the PNW, scroll down. If you live in the US, you should have a local Soil and Water Conservation District. Typically they have information on native plants, rain gardens, naturescaping, and more. You likely have a local Native Plant Society. The Xerces Society has a great list of plants across many regions (and several other countries) HERE. On the Resources page you'll also find several books that have nationwide information and plant lists for your region. Remember to ask your nurseries if their plants have been treated with neonics! If so, say no.
What about organic pesticides and herbicides?
"Organic" is a tricky term. Pesticides don't really discriminate. Diatomaceous earth, one of my favorite forms of pest control indoors, still impact bees as they have an exoskeleton. If you must use an organic pesticide be as controlled as possible, targeting your victim carefully and avoid blossoms visited by pollinators. Better yet, when you choose a variety of native plants you will attract predatory insects to keep pests in check. This is called Integrated Pest Management. Also remember - if something is nibbling your plants, that may be the larvae of a butterfly, moth, or other beneficial insect!
Plants are so expensive, how can I save money?
One of the cheapest and easiest ways is to grow them yourself and then using the seeds. One showy milkweed plant can produce multiple pods with 100 seeds in each pod. Enthusiastic growers like Douglas Aster can give you many baby aster next year. You can purchase seeds for far cheaper than full plants, though they're not all easy to grow. Be sure your seeds are not treated with Neonicotinoids.
In late winter and early spring there are a lot of plant sales by nonprofits, native plant societies, gardening groups, etc. Many are bare-root, meaning they aren't in soil or a pot so they're much cheaper.
If you are putting in plants in a really large area - you may want to spend more to save more. Wholesalers will sometimes sell to the public at a minimum amount. If you were to spend $200 at a wholesale nursery you could get a $4 plant for $0.50. Go in with neighbors to pool your resources!
I've also been amazed at how many neighbors are willing to share plants. Robust self-seeders like Western Columbine means you also will have lots of little babies you can trade for the plants you want most. Neighborhood association Facebook pages, nextdoor.com, local gardening groups, etc. can host a plethora of people willing to share plants.
If I attract bees, will they sting me?
Foraging bees are incredibly mild-mannered. I've been very close to bees for photos, I've picked them up, and had them land on me and have never been stung or bitten. If you have bees nesting somewhere on your property, even the mild-mannered bumblebee can get protective. Bees are wild animals and humans are massive in comparison and probably pretty scary. Watch where you step and sit, respect the space of wildlife you bring to your yard, and you can minimize your risk.
On another note - wasps and hornets are not bees. Yellow jackets are wasps. Some wasps do pollinate flowers (and there are 2,000 species of stingless wasps in the US) but bees do not come to your picnic to eat your fried chicken.
I would like to have a beehive to help! Can you get me started?
Honey bees are incredible animals, like none other on earth. That said, the plight facing honey bees in the US is an agriculture issue, not a conservation issue. Honey bees are a non-native domesticated species, so it's rather like raising chickens to help songbird population declines. I'm not telling you to NOT raise chickens, heck I love fresh eggs as much as anybody! But these are two very different issues. If you do decide to raise honey bees, I encourage you to do very thorough research and be very on top of management of your hive as an unhealthy hive can be a destructive force for wild bee populations. If you would like to help wild bees, I recommend getting housing for mason bees! It will attract leafcutter bees and other pollinators, takes very little time per year to manage, is kid-friendly, and helps wild bee populations.
PORTLAND OREGON
What do you charge?
This isn't a business, and I don't charge any money. I'm just very passionate about pollinators, and I don't want money to be a barrier! I'm also not a landscape architect, botanist, or entomologist. I've just done a lot of research and talked to a lot of people and want to share what I know. What I WOULD like is photos of your project. :)
How can I get help with my Pollinator Parkway?
If you live in East Portland, I may be able to come to your house and help you with curb strip design ideas, plant selection, and, if you have a particularly big strip, getting volunteers to come help remove grass and weeds! When I am able to secure grants, I may be able to provide plants and soil/compost to amend your parking strip. If you wanted help outside of Portland, I'm more than happy to provide you electronic support outside that area.
How often do you have projects?
It really depends on the funding. My goal is to have group projects once a year in the fall, where people can volunteer and/or have their strip converted. Joining the newsletter list or following PPW on facebook is the best way to know what's shakin' and when.
What about sidewalk access? Won't people step on my plants?
When somebody parks in front of your strip, passengers need to be able to get out. Fortunately there are many great ways to help people across your curb strip! Creating stepping stones from flagstone, re-purposed concrete (buried to ground level), rounds cut from a fallen tree are some examples. Also trails with mulch, bricks, and more can be used. If you have a lot of foot-traffic, it's probably better to have a wider path. I recommend two foot wide paths for those using the front of their car, four foot wide paths for those using back doors a lot too.
What kind of Plants Should I use?
Curb strips can have really brutal conditions - a hot, waterless strip between pavement and concrete with thin, poor soil. They aren't nicknamed "Hell Strips" for nothin!
Enjoy this handy manual to help you in your plant choices and designs, as well as information on tree planting, sod removal, and more.
Have additional questions? Email me and I'm happy to help!
Many plants and fruits breed by a pollinator transferring pollen from one plant to another. Without them, those plants will not bear fruit, and their ability to reproduce is compromised. Pollinators come in many shapes, sizes, and species! There are bees (3,999 species of native bees in the US alone), as well as wasps, flies, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, beetles, even bats. If you watch your flower garden you can see many visitors who enjoy your plants!
How do I start?
Planning is really worth the time. Take a measurement of your area, and use a piece of graph paper to make a to-scale measurement. 1 foot per square is usually easiest. Look at your plants maximum growth width, and then use that in your planning. Planting in odd numbers looks more natural (groups of 3, or 5), and swaths are best. Tallest plants can go in the middle, then as you approach edges the plants are shorter. Pick a mix of evergreen plants (native grasses can be great host plants) and perennials so your area doesn't become a brown patch part of the year. Mulching can suppress weeds and conserve water.
How do I find the right plants for my area?
If you live in the PNW, scroll down. If you live in the US, you should have a local Soil and Water Conservation District. Typically they have information on native plants, rain gardens, naturescaping, and more. You likely have a local Native Plant Society. The Xerces Society has a great list of plants across many regions (and several other countries) HERE. On the Resources page you'll also find several books that have nationwide information and plant lists for your region. Remember to ask your nurseries if their plants have been treated with neonics! If so, say no.
What about organic pesticides and herbicides?
"Organic" is a tricky term. Pesticides don't really discriminate. Diatomaceous earth, one of my favorite forms of pest control indoors, still impact bees as they have an exoskeleton. If you must use an organic pesticide be as controlled as possible, targeting your victim carefully and avoid blossoms visited by pollinators. Better yet, when you choose a variety of native plants you will attract predatory insects to keep pests in check. This is called Integrated Pest Management. Also remember - if something is nibbling your plants, that may be the larvae of a butterfly, moth, or other beneficial insect!
Plants are so expensive, how can I save money?
One of the cheapest and easiest ways is to grow them yourself and then using the seeds. One showy milkweed plant can produce multiple pods with 100 seeds in each pod. Enthusiastic growers like Douglas Aster can give you many baby aster next year. You can purchase seeds for far cheaper than full plants, though they're not all easy to grow. Be sure your seeds are not treated with Neonicotinoids.
In late winter and early spring there are a lot of plant sales by nonprofits, native plant societies, gardening groups, etc. Many are bare-root, meaning they aren't in soil or a pot so they're much cheaper.
If you are putting in plants in a really large area - you may want to spend more to save more. Wholesalers will sometimes sell to the public at a minimum amount. If you were to spend $200 at a wholesale nursery you could get a $4 plant for $0.50. Go in with neighbors to pool your resources!
I've also been amazed at how many neighbors are willing to share plants. Robust self-seeders like Western Columbine means you also will have lots of little babies you can trade for the plants you want most. Neighborhood association Facebook pages, nextdoor.com, local gardening groups, etc. can host a plethora of people willing to share plants.
If I attract bees, will they sting me?
Foraging bees are incredibly mild-mannered. I've been very close to bees for photos, I've picked them up, and had them land on me and have never been stung or bitten. If you have bees nesting somewhere on your property, even the mild-mannered bumblebee can get protective. Bees are wild animals and humans are massive in comparison and probably pretty scary. Watch where you step and sit, respect the space of wildlife you bring to your yard, and you can minimize your risk.
On another note - wasps and hornets are not bees. Yellow jackets are wasps. Some wasps do pollinate flowers (and there are 2,000 species of stingless wasps in the US) but bees do not come to your picnic to eat your fried chicken.
I would like to have a beehive to help! Can you get me started?
Honey bees are incredible animals, like none other on earth. That said, the plight facing honey bees in the US is an agriculture issue, not a conservation issue. Honey bees are a non-native domesticated species, so it's rather like raising chickens to help songbird population declines. I'm not telling you to NOT raise chickens, heck I love fresh eggs as much as anybody! But these are two very different issues. If you do decide to raise honey bees, I encourage you to do very thorough research and be very on top of management of your hive as an unhealthy hive can be a destructive force for wild bee populations. If you would like to help wild bees, I recommend getting housing for mason bees! It will attract leafcutter bees and other pollinators, takes very little time per year to manage, is kid-friendly, and helps wild bee populations.
PORTLAND OREGON
What do you charge?
This isn't a business, and I don't charge any money. I'm just very passionate about pollinators, and I don't want money to be a barrier! I'm also not a landscape architect, botanist, or entomologist. I've just done a lot of research and talked to a lot of people and want to share what I know. What I WOULD like is photos of your project. :)
How can I get help with my Pollinator Parkway?
If you live in East Portland, I may be able to come to your house and help you with curb strip design ideas, plant selection, and, if you have a particularly big strip, getting volunteers to come help remove grass and weeds! When I am able to secure grants, I may be able to provide plants and soil/compost to amend your parking strip. If you wanted help outside of Portland, I'm more than happy to provide you electronic support outside that area.
How often do you have projects?
It really depends on the funding. My goal is to have group projects once a year in the fall, where people can volunteer and/or have their strip converted. Joining the newsletter list or following PPW on facebook is the best way to know what's shakin' and when.
What about sidewalk access? Won't people step on my plants?
When somebody parks in front of your strip, passengers need to be able to get out. Fortunately there are many great ways to help people across your curb strip! Creating stepping stones from flagstone, re-purposed concrete (buried to ground level), rounds cut from a fallen tree are some examples. Also trails with mulch, bricks, and more can be used. If you have a lot of foot-traffic, it's probably better to have a wider path. I recommend two foot wide paths for those using the front of their car, four foot wide paths for those using back doors a lot too.
What kind of Plants Should I use?
Curb strips can have really brutal conditions - a hot, waterless strip between pavement and concrete with thin, poor soil. They aren't nicknamed "Hell Strips" for nothin!
Enjoy this handy manual to help you in your plant choices and designs, as well as information on tree planting, sod removal, and more.
Have additional questions? Email me and I'm happy to help!
