Plan Your Garden

Of course, the larger a pollinator garden, the better it is for our buggy friends. However, a small garden or a few well-appointed containers can make a difference as well.

Gardening should be fun and enjoyable, so be careful not to over-commit yourself. Only you know your limitations on time, money, energy, and interest. Starting small with the option to grow your garden larger in the future is better than becoming overwhelmed and giving up altogether.

As a rule of thumb, we estimate that a 100-square foot garden (10’ x 10’) will take 4 to 6 hours to till, prepare, plant, and mulch. Once planted, it will require 10 to 20 minutes a week to weed, and just a little time to set up watering during drought.

For the best pollinator habitat, look for a place without a lot of root competition from trees and shrubs. Next, find out how much sun exposure the area gets per day and plan accordingly.

For sunny areas

Most of the flowering plants pollinators prefer are unabashed sun lovers. These plants need at least six hours of direct sun per day.  These sun-loving plants will likely be where you’ll observe the greatest amount of pollinator traffic.

For shady areas

There is a common misconception that all pollinator plants require full sun. Thankfully, this is not true! There are many pollinator-friendly plants that do not require full sun. Check out this Detailed Plant Guide of our recommended plants that includes sun requirements. Simply choose plants with partial sun or mostly shade requirements. Consider planting woodland plants, spring ephemerals, herbs, and bulbs. Plants that prefer shade often provide very useful services to pollinators. Many serve as host plants where butterflies can lay their eggs. Others bloom very early in the season and provide needed nectar and pollen before the summer bloomers kick in. The tree species that may be creating the shade can also provide pollinators with nectar and places to lay their eggs.

Plants will have a difficult time getting established in unprepared soil, so it is vital to do a few things before you plant.

1. Kill existing turf.

You can do this using glyphosate-based herbicides, which kill the grass in about 10 days. If you would rather not use chemicals, you can also kill turf by covering it with a thick layer of cardboard for 2 or 3 weeks. You can also simply till in the turf; however, this makes tilling more difficult and means you’ll need to weed out re-sprouting grass for a while.

2. Turn the soil.

Next, it is time to till. This helps aerate and break up the soil, and is necessary for new garden plots. Wait until a day when the soil is just slightly moist.  This allows you to easily break up the soil so it is loose and crumbly. If the soil is too dry, you will have difficulty breaking up the soil. If the soil is too wet, you will make heavy sticky clod and do real harm to your soil’s texture.

To till, dig down 6-8 inches, and then turn the soil over. Break up the large chunks of soil, and remove any roots or large rocks. Remember, you want to aerate the soil, so avoid compressing the soil or stepping on it after you’ve tilled. Now you are ready to add in your organic matter.  Repeat the tilling process to incorporate the organic matter into the soil.

Most sites in southwestern Ohio are high in clay and pH, low in organic matter, and heavily compacted from construction and foot traffic. Despite this, there are many pollinator-friendly plants that grow well here if you till your soil and mix in organic matter.

Choose your organic matter.

Some high-fertility organic matter sources are either compost or well-rotted manure. At the Zoo, we sometimes use these, but we actually favor pine fines (partially composted pine bark). Since most soils in the region are fertile, and high fertility isn’t necessarily ideal for most ornamental plants, a half and half combination of compost (higher fertility) and pine fines (low fertility) seems to  work very well. We do not recommend buying bags of “top soil,” as there is no legal definition of what that is and therefore no certain way of knowing the quality or content of the product. We’re also not huge fans of peat moss for pollinator gardens in this area.

Once you’ve made two passes tilling as deeply as you can, spread 2 to 3 inches of organic matter over your entire bed and till it as deeply as possible. Then repeat this again. Once tilled, try to tread on the garden bed as little as possible.

For the best, most consistent results, consider contacting your county Extension Office or Soil & Water Conservation District Office and ask about having your soil tested. They can direct you on how to collect soil and where to send it for this inexpensive and useful tool. Once the results come in, they can also discuss what actions to take to improve your soil. This one step will teach you a lot about soil texture, drainage, fertility, and organic matter.

Tips for Growing Pollinator Plants from Seeds

There are many things to consider before deciding to plant seeds or buying plugs, or baby transplants found at garden centers. There are pros and cons to both seeds and plugs. It is extremely satisfying to grow something from a seed yourself. Seeds are much cheaper than plant plugs, and you can usually find a greater diversity of seeds. Certain plants do not transplant well, so growing from seed can be a good alternative. However, it is important to note that planting seeds is much more time and energy intensive than planting plugs. Growing from seeds takes more time, and it may take several years for your plants to establish completely. Seeds also have a much lower survival and success rate, even if you do everything correctly.

To have the highest chance of success when planting seeds, follow the instructions on the seed pack. Planting time and temperature, as well as the depth and density of seeds are very important and should be taken into account. When the seeds sprout, it may be difficult to tell which sprouts are you plants and which are unplanned weeds. To help with this issue, try to plant the seeds in a recognizable pattern such as a straight line or circle.

Planting in containers can be a great way to support pollinators when you have limited space or if you want to add dimension to your landscape. The most important thing you can do to help your plants in containers is to make sure there is enough drainage in the container. As a rule of thumb, a 1/2-inch diameter drainage hole is sufficient for small and medium containers. Large containers will require one-inch or multiple drainage holes. Plants in containers do dry out faster than plants in the ground, so you may need to water containers more frequently. Container plants also require fertilizer.  Fertilizer should be applied according to the specific instructions on the packaging.

For additional advice on planting in containers, check out the basics of growing plants in containers for pollinators

How to plant

After you’ve chosen the best plants for pollinators and completed the above steps, you are ready to plant. This video give you ideas of what pollinator plants to plant!

For planting plugs or transplants dig a hole just deep enough to set a plant at the same depth it is in the pot, but dig the hole wide enough so you can spread the roots widely out 3 to 5 inches or less in the soil. When you remove a plant from its pot, its roots might be bound up in a root ball as a result of growing in a pot. It’s important to tease apart these roots and spread them out into the planting hole. It’s okay if most of the soil from the pot falls off the roots. In fact, most horticulturists recommend removing as much potting soil as possible because it is very different in texture and soil particle size and can potentially interfere with roots establishing in your actual garden soil. Once the roots are spread nicely in the hole, cover with soil and gently firm the soil with your hands. Note: To prevent compacting the soil you worked so hard to till, we suggest using boards to distribute your weight as you plant and work in the bed.

Helping your new plants get established

Your newly planted plants will need extra care while their roots grow into your garden’s soil. This period of establishment can vary according to the time of year of planting and which plants they are. Generally speaking, gardens planted early in the spring establish faster than those planted in the summer or during hot weather. Smaller plants, such as one-gallon perennials, tend to establish more quickly than larger plants like balled and burlaped trees. Seeds take the longest time to sprout and establish completely. About the only thing a gardener can do to assist plants through the establishment process is to water properly, and the only way for a gardener to know that the plant is well-established is when it no longer requires extra attention to watering.