Maureen McCulloch/Master Gardener
| Special to The Times
7 Garden Insects That Actually Help Your Plants Thrive
Not all garden bugs are pests. Some are vital helpers that pollinate plants or control harmful insects, making your garden healthier.
unbranded – Lifestyle
On a warm and sunny late-September afternoon, I stood in the middle of a new meadow. It was a treed lot just three years ago, and then the owners cleared the lot for building a home, which never happened. While I cringed to see the demise of the treed lot, it opened up a new world of opportunity for our wildlife. I stood quietly, watching and listening. I called my husband to come stand in that meadow with me to take in the beauty of nature in action.
By late September, the native Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.) and Ironweed (Vernonia spp.) plants had gone to seed, the Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatumwas) and White Wood Aster (Aster divaricatus) were about done as well, but the sight of the pollinators rushing to complete their tasks on the masses of Goldenrod (Solidago) was amazing.
They know their time is fleeting, and yet they have one mission: to provide for their next generations. While they consume the nutritious nectar our wild and native plants provide, they are collecting as much pollen as their little bodies will carry to store that food for next spring’s generation’s awakening.
I came back to my small suburban yard to take inventory of what plants I already had in my gardens and consider what I could add, given my limited space and microclimate. The pollinators where busy in my yard, too, on the Goldenrod (Solidago), Asters (Asteracea), and annual Salvia (Lamiaceae) and Zinnias and Cosmos (also in the Asteracea family), which I plant for supplemental summer color and pollinator food. The Goldfinches and Black-capped chickadees were flitting through the garden picking the Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and Zinnia seeds of the spent flowers.
To attract pollinators and birds, food, water and shelter must be available year-round. The list of native plants is extensive and includes both sun and shade, moist and dry, large and compact plants. For a garden to be ecologically impactful, not all plants need to be native or perennial, but there are several reasons to plant native plants: they provide essential food and shelter for our native insects and animals, are well-adapted to our local climate and soil, require less water, fertilizer, and maintenance once established, and are beneficial to soil health. So, try to keep your space around 70% native. And remember, you want to plant for all seasons when pollinators are active.
Spring-flowering plants are crucial for the early awakening of pollinators such as bumblebees. Some suggestions for early-blooming plants include Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera), Wild Pinks/Catchfly (Silene caroliniana), Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica), and Ohio Spiderwort, (Tradescantia Ohiensis).
Summer-flowering natives start blooming in May and run through August. Since most perennials have a brief blooming season, try to select a variety of flowers that will give you continuous blooming. Pollinators need an uninterrupted source of food, so this is a perfect opportunity to supplement with annuals as they bloom all summer.
Some mid-season perennials for the garden include Coneflowers (Echinacea), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), Bee balm varieties including Scarlett (Monarda didyma), and Spotted (Monarda punctata) varieties, and numerous varieties of perennial and annual salvias. The pink salvias often bloom first and the bees and hummingbirds favor the large blue varieties of the annual salvias, such as Black and Blue (Salvia guaranitica) and Big Blue (Salvia 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎 x 𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑎), but won’t turn their nose up at any of them.
Other long-lasting beneficial annuals include sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, bedding begonias and French marigolds. The perennial coneflowers and the annual sunflowers and zinnias will feed the pollinators while in bloom and the birds when they go to seed. Plants in the mint family, including Agastache, Catmint (Nepeta) and Catnip (Nepeta cataria) are great pollinator attractors but are unruly and will need to be managed.
Late-season plants will provide pollinators and birds with nourishment to end their season. In addition to Goldenrods, Asters and Salvias, native varieties that bloom late in the season or have a long blooming season include Blanket Flower (Gaillardia), which will bloom all summer long and into fall, Tall Sedum (Hylotelephium ), Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica).
Don’t forget herbs! While they are a culinary delight, most herbs flower and pollinators are attracted to their strong fragrances. Try an herb garden or interplantings with your perennials, letting some of the herb plants flower. Good choices include Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Sweet Margoram (Origanum majorana), Winter (Satureja montana) and Summer (Satureja hortensis) Savory, any variety of Lavendar (Lavandula), Onion Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Borage (Borago officinalis). The red-flowered annual Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) is a great end-of-season addition to the garden as it does not bloom until October. Sometimes the hummingbirds can catch it on their way through to their winter grounds. Note that some herbs are perennials, while others will need to be planted annually.
Flowering and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs provide food, shelter and nesting for pollinators and birds. There are numerous native ornamental and fruit-bearing trees and bushes that bloom anywhere from mid-March through May and then provide fruits and berries at the end of the season. If selecting fruit trees and berry bushes, be sure to either select varieties that don’t require more than one plant, or plants that bloom at the same time in order to produce fruit. Favorite native ornamental trees include Dogwood varieties, including Eastern Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida) and Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus Alternifolia), native Azaleas, Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), American Holly (Ilex opaca) and Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis).
If you have space for a meadow-type garden, consider native varieties of Goldenrod, Milkweed, perennial Sunflowers such as Woodland Sunflower (𝐻𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠), Thinleaf Sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus) and Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani), Wild Bergamot (Monardo fistulosa), Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.), Ironweed (Vernonia spp.) and native grasses for the birds. Just keep in mind that meadows have certain maintenance requirements to keep them healthy and productive. They can look “weedy” and get messy quickly if not managed and are not appropriate for all properties or neighborhoods.
I’ve just touched on some examples of how to create a beautiful and relaxing landscape that will provide enjoyment for you and sustainability for our wildlife. Take your time in the planning process to ensure you have the right plants in the right place. Remember the importance of native plants. Many of the plants noted are also host plants to caterpillars and insects and are a food source for many birds. And be sure to include some perching spots for you so that you can observe nature in action!
Maureen McCulloch is a Penn State Master Gardener in Beaver County.
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