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Post by daylilydude on Apr 19, 2019 5:40:27 GMT -5
Do you plant to attract beneficial insects each year, or are yours established already... what are your plants that you use for this?
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 19, 2019 8:28:22 GMT -5
I usually plant a few flowering annuals right in my vegetable garden to attract extra pollinators.
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Post by paulf on Apr 19, 2019 8:43:38 GMT -5
We have a ton of flowering plants in the yard to attract pollinating insects and hummingbirds. A granddaughter and I plant sunflowers all around the vegetable garden and those attract lots of beneficials.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 19, 2019 12:29:07 GMT -5
I have a number of flowering plants out there, one of which is the Italian sage plant I've had for years. I got that large leafed sage from Richter's last year, which grew huge in little time, and is growing back much faster than the Italian version. I was ready to dig up the Italian plant, but decided to leave it, for the flowers, and this time, I'll just leave them all on - usually, I'd pull them off after a while, to get more leaf growth.
Something that I did away with when I dug up the ground for the asparagus was an alyssum patch I had there. That was always attracting bees, and other pollinators. Maybe I'll go out behind my shed and sctatch those seeds I have into the ground, and try to start another patch. Not sure if the seeds will be viable, however.
That new (to me) Syrian oregano that I tried last year flowered profusely in the spring, and I cut them off, as I was trying to get it to grow more. This time it's large, and I will leave the flowers on, until they dry up.
I also have 3 varieties of cilantro started. I'm guessing they will bolt early, as usual, but they are great pollinator attractors, so I get something from them!
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Apr 19, 2019 12:36:52 GMT -5
We plant sunflowers in the garden but that is mainly as a decoy crop for stink bugs.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 19, 2019 12:52:22 GMT -5
I usually plant some herbs and flowers (basil, oregano, thyme, dill, cosmos, zinnia, etc.) both for my enjoyment and to attract pollinators and other beneficials. And often I let some of the Spanish Needle (a weed) bloom here and there around the backyard...sometimes on purpose and sometimes on accident. Another thing I frequently do is let some of the cabbage family plants bolt to provide bee forage during that awkward spring period after the early-blooming trees finish but before most of the warm-weather flowers have started.
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Post by spike on Apr 24, 2019 22:47:11 GMT -5
Sunflowers, Zinnias and marigolds!
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Post by guruofgardens on Jun 10, 2019 21:20:14 GMT -5
Zinnias, marigolds, basil in the community garden. I also have a 3x15 or so area where a variety of perennials grow plus rhubarb and iris.
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