Invite Pollinators

This June is the 3rd anniversary of the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, a national initiative to bring back the bees. And the week of June 19-26 is Pollinator Week. If you have a garden like mine, get certified today and join the movement. Go to the National Wildlife Federation for more details. I have to admit, it was with excitement and pride that I posted my Certified Wildlife Habitat® sign on my front porch.

I mentioned earlier in a post, that I had read in the Irish Times about the shortsightedness we have had regarding the effects of our actions on insects and critical pollinators. This is not a new concern for me, I have been gardening for several years now with a concern that my yards, front and back, support insect, birds, butterflies and other pollinators.

Why is this important?

Animals, birds, and insects are part of the natural pollination process that fertilizes plants, and are the very base of our food chain. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, etc all have a part to play, and with their pollination help, we have fruits, veggies, and nuts to eat. Without pollinators, we would not have the nutritionally varied food sources that are available today. J. Ollerton, R. Winfree, + S. Tarrant (2011) wrote that approximately 80-95% of the plant species found in natural habitats require animal-mediated pollination.

What is causing pollinators demise?

• Lack of adequate habitat
• Not enough native plants for native pollinators
• Lack of flowering trees – bees get most of their nectar from trees (1)
• Not enough undisturbed land – 70% of bees live underground and 30% live in dead tree hollows (1)
• Application of harmful pesticides

What If I Do Not Have A Yard?

• If all you have is a balcony, or little garden, then place nectar-bearing plants that can be decorative and feed pollinators at the same time.
• Better yet, plant herbs (that you allow to flower) and you have something decorative, good smelling, food for pollinators, and something to cook with!
• Pollinators love herbs: oregano, chives, lavender, sage, thyme, mints, parsley, dill, lemon balm, rosemary, fennel, catmint and more. Make sure to let them flower and consider learning to dry your herbs. (My first planting of catmint must have brought out thousands of bees all buzzing around never paying attention to us but highly focused on the flowers.)
• Support local beekeepers by buying their honey at the farmers market and ask them about their bees and what you can do to help.

What Can I Do If Have A Yard?

• My front and back yards have a variety of plants so there is something blooming most of the year and they vary in color, shape, and blooming times.
• Include natural wild flowers, so for instance, I have poppies that decided to take up residence in my backyard and they are welcomed.
• Fruits + veggies are food for the pollinators as well as us, so make use of these dual purpose plants, trees, and shrubs. My apple, lemon and lime bushes/trees are covered in bees during their blooming times.
• Do not dig up your yard, as some bees nest in the garden debris. Or at least keep one area undisturbed, if you can, so they have a home.
• If you still have grass, consider moving to a non-grass garden focused on nectar-bearing and native flowering plants.
• Leave them some dead stems to use for homes. I had 3 young trees die over a year ago and left them in place for use by insects — and it still looks great in the garden.
• Do not use pesticides in or on your yards. Be organic.

Extra Help For Pollinators

• Hang homes for butterflies and insects, I have both a bird box and a solitary bee hotel ready for occupancy.
• Do not forget there also needs to be a source of water for them. I have a bird bath that has rocks in them so the pollinators can sit on something while slurping up liquid.
• Help raise awareness with your friends and families telling them about what you are doing, and the things that they can do too

My Romantic Morning

Here is my ideal (slightly romantic) way to start the day. I make a cup of tea and sit outside in the mornings with that cup watching very busy bees flying around with pollen laden legs. I watch the colorful butterflies drink nectar from plants and flit from flower to flower. Birds would be sitting on the bird bath, drinking and bathing themselves. And I would hear a humming bird that I know is busy fighting its neighbor as it protects its territory. There would be a bird nest in the large bush to my right and I would hear the babies calling for food. All this life would surround me, ignoring me because it has its own schedule and needs. All of this occurs because I have taken just a few steps to help fellow creatures live and thrive on this little patch of land I control.

What makes this so magical is that you can do this too.

–Patty

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NEWS: May 2019 FDA Inspectors are reviewing veggie trays from Del Monte Fresh Produce as the source of a Salmonella outbreak. The trays of precut veggies and dip, were sold in the midwest. Usually you will be unable to tell if the food has this bacteria for it is odorless, and the food may look fine. Symptoms of an infection includes diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 12-72 hours of eating infected food. The major concern is older people, children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems. It can be life threatening.

Recipes: Open faced Greek Omelet

Articles: Added a Zest-Grate Equipment page under TOOLS.

TIP: If you whip a lot of egg whites it is absolutely true that doing so in a copper bowl makes a difference. I made a comment about this in a previous post and someone asked me why. So I went to Cooks to find out the science behind my experience. Apparently, the ions in the bowl bind with egg white protein and slow the coagulation process, which means it takes a bit longer to whip, and thus the result is more stable. That stability makes a difference in things like a soufflé. But this is no reason to go out and buy a copper bowl. While not as good, stainless steel will work well enough.

NEWS: High levels of arsenic was found in Starkey water, owned by Whole Foods and also in Peñafiel, owned by Keurig Dr Pepper. These bottled water are sold at Target and Walmart. The levels of arsenic triggered a health warning under California’s consumer protection law. The toxin can cause cancer and reproductive harm, the release says.