2021 Pollinators Project

[gggvan]

They grow huge out here, no matter how heavily I hack them back. We have several 10-12 footers and one that is about 15 ft around. I have cut that bush down to the ground and it is back to full size in about 3 years.

If you want to help butterflies grow some milkweed.

Our season is shorter that yours, anyway, I planted 3 BB's in spots that won't block sun from the rest of the plantings. I have 1 milkweed in the center already, it's just starting to come up and i've reserved space for more in the center. When it seeded last year, i put alot of seeds/pods under dirt...we'll see.

Do your BB's attract buterflies?

 

[begreen]

Do your BB's attract buterflies?

Yes, butterflies, hummingbirds like it. I will have to watch to see if these plants also attract bees.

 

[gggvan]

update: planted 3x 14" lavender, summer bloom; 3x purple butterfly bushes; small patch of red hot pokers; 3x salvia.

 

[walhondingnashua]

Our Butterfly Bushes attract just about everything. The bluebirds and king birds sit close by and even hunt what comes in.
Last year was the first time I saw hummingbird moths on it. They are pretty interesting creatures.

 

[begreen]

The hawthorne tree is now in bloom along with the rowen tree and viburnum. We have a ton of bees now. The hawthorne sounds like a hive there is so much activity. The Spanish lavender is in bloom and is attracting bumblebees. I saw my first swallowtail of the year today too.

 

[gggvan]

The hawthorne tree is now in bloom along with the rowen tree and viburnum. We have a ton of bees now. The hawthorne sounds like a hive there is so much activity. The Spanish lavender is in bloom and is attracting bumblebees. I saw my first swallowtail of the year today too.

sweet.
i'm starting to realize that the spacing they put on the plant labels are a bit of an exaggeration.

 

[begreen]

I figured out why we have so many honeybees this year. A neighbor up the road just set out new hives. They have to fly down to our property about 1200 ft which is nothing for them. I hope they don't crowd out the natural pollinators.

On another note, our mason bees appear almost done for the year. They have done an outstanding job and have filled around 270 holes in the nest blocks.

 

[gggvan]

I figured out why we have so many honeybees this year. A neighbor up the road just set out new hives. They have to fly down to our property about 1200 ft which for them is nothing. I hope they don't crowd out the natural pollinators.

On another note, our mason bees appear almost done for the year. They have done an outstanding job and have filled around 270 holes in the nest blocks.

can you post a pic of the nest blocks?

 

[begreen]

This is one of the nest houses. I had to add an extra block to handle the overflow. The bees and blocks are supplied yearly. I will be returning them in a week.

 

[gggvan]

This is one of the nest houses. I had to add an extra block to handle the overflow. The bees and blocks are supplied yearly. I will be returning them in a week.

View attachment 279174

cool

 

[begreen]

cool

This is the supplier. We are part of a community program to raise new mason bees, so no cost to us. We just provide a good home for them in early spring.

Buy Bees, Bee Houses & Bee Nesting Materials | Crown Bees

Shop Crown Bees for Mason and Summer Leaf bees, bee houses, nesting materials, and accessories. Find everything you need to support native bee habitats and boost your garden's pollination.

crownbees.com

 

[gggvan]

So, here's what it looked like on 09/11/2021. Had loads of bees, some butterflies, and more hummingbirds than i expected.

 

[semipro]

Very nice!
Don't forget water for the bees.
We dump our HVAC and HPWH condensate and reverse osmosis rinsate to a very small pond outside and the bees love it.

 

[EbS-P]

Has anyone planted artichokes? I was looking at perennial vegetables and globe artichokes came up in YouTube with one video I clicked on having lots of bees around a beautiful purple flower.

 

[gggvan]

Very nice!
Don't forget water for the bees.
We dump our HVAC and HPWH condensate and reverse osmosis rinsate to a very small pond outside and the bees love it.

yes, out of picture I have a little plot of bee balm with a bird bath in it. i clean/fill it every other day or so.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Has anyone planted artichokes? I was looking at perennial vegetables and globe artichokes came up in YouTube with one video I clicked on having lots of bees around a beautiful purple flower.

I have one growing in my garden now, but the deer ate the ones I planted outside the fence last year, so I never got a harvest or flowers. I thought they’d leave them alone because they don’t eat our thistles, but I guess they just had to try when they were still really small.

Our land has lots of thistles, and bees and butterflies do love their blooms. I feel bad when I pull them out sometimes, but I remind myself that I’m making room for more natives, and the pollinators also love those. I have the same feeling when I pull up blooming horehound because honeybees love it, but our land has much more variety now that we’ve gotten rid of so much horehound.

@begreen has successfully grown artichokes to maturity, I believe.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

@gggvan, thanks for posting the update and pictures. It looks great.

 

[begreen]

@begreen has successfully grown artichokes to maturity, I believe.

Yes, artichokes grow here and we have one now in a large container that is perennial.

 

[clancey]

Sure is colorful and beautiful and no wonder bees would love it...clancey