If you’ve heard the buzz about the decline in pollinator populations, such as honeybees, it’s not something to take lightly. By most estimates, approximately 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants depend on help from pollinators.

“Pollinators are vital to our ecosystem in that they give us fruits and seeds, the things that sustain life for all of us,” said Brandy Brabham, West Virginia University Extension Service agriculture agent for Roane County. “Many everyday food items we take for granted wouldn’t be here if not for pollinators — melons, cucumbers and squash, just to name a few.”

What does a declining pollinator population mean for backyard gardeners?

“With incomplete pollination, fruit can be incomplete or misshapen,” explained Brabham. “More pollinators leads to more chances for complete pollination — and in turn, bigger fruit and more bountiful yields.”

Common pollinators in West Virginia include hummingbirds, bats, moths, bees, beetles, flies and butterflies. They assist in moving pollen grains from the male parts of a flower to the female parts to ensure fertilization, and in turn, seeds for new plants and fruit.

“Keeping these beneficial pollinators around is a matter of creating a friendly habitat that attracts different varieties throughout the entire season in your yard and garden,” said Brabham. “Pollinators rely on nectar and pollen, a food source which they get from the flowers of the plant. By providing them food, you’ve given them a reason to call your yard or garden ‘home’.”

She recommends varying plant selection — choosing plants with blooms that are different in color, shape and height will interest a variety of pollinators. By having different plant variety, blooms will offset through the growing season and provide a consistent food source. Also, grouping the plants together in clumps will facilitate in drawing in a wide selection of pollinators.

Once a food source has been established, other steps can be taken to keep pollinators in the area. Brabham recommends a source of fresh water, a dead tree or limb for nesting options and even some typical “undesirables” to help pollinators establish themselves.

“Some flowering weeds along the edge of the garden for an alternative food source and some common garden pests are expected and can be accepted. They are a source of food for bigger, beneficial species that are critical in the pollination process,” she said.

Brabham added, “Remember, nature already has these sort of complex processes figured out, and sometimes we as backyard gardeners can take a step back and reap the benefits of how the system naturally works.”

For more information about pollinators or gardening contact your local office of the WVU Extension Service or visit anr.ext.wvu.edu/lawn_garden.

-WVU-

zl/05/18/14

CONTACT: Cassie Thomas, WVU Extension Service
304.293.8735, Cassie.Thomas@mail.wvu.edu

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