Want to know which flowers to plant for pollinators? Carol and Dee discuss easy to grow annuals and perennials that provide pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies. To follow the migration of monarchs, check out the Journey North website. For more information in general on monarchs, we recommend The Monarch: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly by Kylee Baumle (affiliate link).
For more information on pollen charts: Identifying pollen
For more information on some of the flowers mentioned:
Salvias, milkweeds--check for which ones are native in your area. For more nectar plants, check out the Xerces Society.
Agastaches: the only one successful planted in the garden for Dee has been ‘Bolero'. Carol has done well ‘Blue Fortune’ which doesn’t bloom until later in the season but then blooms until a killing frost.
‘Nectarwand Red’ false vervain, Stachytarpheta, is the best of the false vervains in Dee’s garden. She bought it at Bustani Plant Farm. It’s their introduction, but may become more available at other nurseries soon.
Chives and borage, lavender ‘SuperBlue’ and ‘Phenomenal and thyme are samples of herbs that are nectar powerhouses!
Carol and Dee also provided tips on how to be care for vegetable seedlings with proper light, water, and hardening off. Almost everyone needs to provide supplemental light for seedlings and go slowly with the hardening off to ensure success.
For all the best dirt:
2018 University of Texas at Austin study linking glyphosate to problems with Honey Bee gut rmicrobiota. Gut microbiota benefits growth and provides defense against pathogens. Bayer, who owns Monsanto, denies this study’s findings. More information on OMRI check out OMRI listed.
To see Carol or Dee in person, if you live near them...
Dee is speaking on Enchanted April at this April’s Wednesdays at Will Rogers on April 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Carol is speaking at the Hancock County Master Gardeners on Saturday April 6 on 12 Secrets to Happiness in Your Garden.
Email us anytime with questions or comments at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com.
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