Nectar Nirvana: Gardening For The Bees

Let's talk about pollinators! Many food crops require pollination in order to produce the fruits or seeds we harvest. Planting flowers that attract pollinators can help ensure that they continue to thrive. While most people think of bees as the primary pollinators, many other insects, including butterflies, hummingbirds, beetles, moths, and various flies, also contribute to this vital process.

One of the most fascinating aspects of pollination is the relationship that some pollinators have with specific plant species. Some insects have a close relationship with a particular plant and are specialized to pollinate only that plant species. A great example s the relationship between bumblebees and blueberries. Bumblebees are important pollinators of blueberry bushes, and blueberry flowers are an important source of nectar and pollen for bumblebees. Large industrial blueberry operations rely on bumblebees for successful crop pollination and production.

Now let's get to the plants that we grow to attract pollinators while adding other benefits to both the pollinators and our gardens.

Marigolds are often considered good companion plants for vegetable gardens as they contain a chemical compound that can repel certain insects like aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes, reducing the potential need for pesticides. Marigolds also have a beneficial effect on soil health, suppress weeds and attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. The petals of some marigold varieties are also edible.

Nasturtiums are also good companion plants that have the added benefit of being a Nitrogen fixer, meaning they have the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, benefitting food crops. Nasturtiums also attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and bees, and both the leaves and flowers are edible.

Nicotiana plants, which belong to the tobacco family, can be grown for the benefits they provide to pollinators, especially bees. Nicotiana plants have a unique relationship with bees that has a potential benefit for bee health. Certain compounds found in the nectar of nicotiana plants have been shown to reduce infection levels of a common bumblebee parasite by up to 81%. Nicotiana Rustica is a traditional, ancient seed that has been grown by first nations folks all over turtle island for thousands of years, and it attracts bees with its flowers, contributing to a mutualistic relationship.

Edible Marigolds:
pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis)
French marigolds (Tagetes patula)
African marigolds (Tagetes erecta)
Mexican mint marigolds (Tagetes Lucida)
lemon marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia)

Bee & Nicotiana Studies:
https://f1000research.com/articles/4-...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
https://f1000research.com/articles/4-880
https://link.springer.com/article/10....


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