Ecological Gardening

At last the season for gardening is here. It is time for thinking about what we want to grow and where to put it.  Audrey Hepburn said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”  Certainly placing seeds in the ground, in anticipation of a row of beans or a patch of zinnias, is an expression of hope. Will you cultivate a bold color scheme to line the front walkway? Or continue your legacy as producer of the finest heirloom tomatoes in the neighborhood?  As we flip through seed catalogs and draw up grand plans, let’s consider the importance of what we do with our growing space – whether it be a few hanging baskets or an acre.

Gardeners have within them the potential to help our threatened insect populations.

But wait, why care about insects?  When asked about insects, people frequently think about the troublemakers that we consider pests: Japanese beetles, fleas, mosquitoes, etc…  However, only a tiny fraction of the million plus identified insect species negatively impact us.  The vast majority do no harm, and in fact many play critical roles in supporting the web of biodiversity on Earth.  Intimate relationships between plants and insects have evolved over time.  Many flowering plants rely on insects for pollination and the completion of their life cycle.  Plants return the favor by providing food and/or housing.  Insects, and lots of them, also serve as an important food source for many animals.  It takes more than 6000 caterpillars to raise a brood of chickadees.  To care about healthy populations of diverse insect species is to care about plants and other animals within the ecosystem.

Is it really that bad? In a word, yes.   Loss of habitat, light pollution, and climate change are among the factors contributing to an “insect apocalypse.”  Scientists and naturalists are trying to measure losses in insect biomass.  Even conservative estimates cite more than 50% decline over the last 50 years. And there are commensurate drops in insectivorous animal populations.  Counts of birds in North America with insect dominant diets like swifts, swallows and nighthawks found a 40% drop from 1966 to 2013.

What can gardeners do?    “Create an oasis everywhere.”- writer, farmer and environmentalist Pierre Rabhi

Urban and suburban landscapes include acres of pavement, buildings, and mowed lawns. All these spaces  amount to vast food deserts for pollinators.  Yes, even that well – manicured yard of turf grass provides little opportunity for foraging.   Pollinators can only travel limited distances before needing a food source, often less than a mile.  Gardeners can create an oasis, a source of blooms to support the pollinators who support us all, even in small spaces.

• Avoid insecticides whenever possible. Remember that pesticide may also kill the beneficial insects who would prey on the one causing damage and predator species populations do not recover as quickly as prey species. There may be nonchemical methods or preventive practices that can minimize the pest problem. Advice can be found at your local extension office. https://ccebroomecounty.com/gardening/ask-a-master-gardener
• Leave some spaces for more natural habitat. This can be simple practices like letting the grass get longer in spring to allow clover and dandelion blooms for an early food source, leaving some bare (un-mulched) ground for nesting sites of beneficial insects, and leaving stems and seed heads standing at the end of the season for overwinterin

  

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• Plant native species. Native plants are the indigenous terrestrial and aquatic species that have evolved and occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat. Species native to North America are generally recognized as those occurring on the continent prior to European settlement. These plants have not only adapted to the conditions of our region, but have coevolved with the native insect populations.  There are many resources available to aid in the selection of appropriate varieties. Organizations such as the Xerces Society https://xerces.org/bring-back-the-pollinators,  are important resources for  lists of plants appropriate for each of the ecoregions in the United States,  information about the insects (bees, butterflies, beneficial insects)  supported by the plant and the kind of benefit (nest site, food source) it provides, and charts of bloom times so that an oasis can offer a steady supply of food over the growing season.  Entomologist Doug Tallamy’s “Homegrown National Park” https://homegrownnationalpark.org/tallamys-hub/ encourages us to come together in support of biodiversity.  An interactive map on the web site enables gardeners to register their efforts for free and join fellow supporters of biodiversity in this important project.Follow our CBG Facebook page for more seasonal ecological gardening practices that you can use in your home gardens.For more inspiration you can always visit the Cutler Botanic Garden.  Native plants are featured in the Native Habitat area.  The gardens are free and open to the public from dawn to dusk seven days a week.

  

  By: Master Gardener Volunteer Erin Gordon