By Victoria Smith
Today I woke up wondering if gardeners ever stop talking about the weather.
Gardeners are especially restless at this time of year, yearning for warm temperatures, longer days and the perfect conditions to get outdoors and dig in the dirt. Today was clearly not that day, so I settled for a cup of coffee and a visit to Google, where I researched talking about the weather.
I learned that the weather is one of the top conversation topics in the country. Studies have shown people devote more than 56 hours per year to discussing the weather. Sixty percent of Americans check the forecast daily, with 20% checking multiple times per day.
I’m a multiple checker. I want my 56 hours back. There are better things to do.
March is a good time to talk about pollinators: who they are, what they do, why they are important, and how we can assist and protect them.
Pollinators are essential for local and global ecosystem health and food security.
More than 80% of the world’s flowering plants need assistance with pollination; the other 20% are either self-pollinating or pollinated by wind. Pollinators provide that service to more than 180,000 species of plants and more than 1,200 crops. One third of the food we eat exists because of pollinators. On an annual basis, the work of pollinators adds $217 billion to the global economy.
Honeybees are perhaps the most familiar pollinator and the species most of us think about when it comes to growing food.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, honeybees pollinate more than 130 types of vegetables, fruits and nuts, contributing more than $15 billion to the U.S. economy.
Honeybees are not native to the U.S. and were instead imported from Europe, Asia and Africa in the 1600s. Familiar native pollinators include butterflies, moths, solitary bees, bumble bees, wasps, ants, flies, mosquitoes and bats.
While honeybees are the primary pollinators of U.S. commercial agricultural crops, home gardeners rely on them less than one might assume. There are more than 4,000 native bee species in the U.S. and Canada, and they are the primary pollinators in natural systems.
Bumblebees are important pollinators as well. They can fly in cooler temperatures and lower light levels than many other bee species (making them valuable in cooler weather), as well as at higher elevations and latitudes.
On top of their crucial role in industrial agriculture, pollinators contribute to genetic diversity by cross-pollinating plants. This can result in plants developing greater resistance to diseases and pests and the ability to cope with the challenges of a changing environment and climate.
Home gardeners are familiar with the many bugs and insects that damage our plants and gardens, including slugs and snails, aphids, cabbage beetles and whiteflies. Many pollinators rely on these garden pests as a part of their diet.
Night flying bats and moths are excellent pollinators who dine on garden pests while we sleep. Mosquitoes, flies and ants – often viewed as pests – are also accomplished pollinators in our gardens as well as a food source for other valuable insects and animals.
Scientists, journalists, farmers and home gardeners frequently talk about the fact that pollinator populations are declining.
Honeybees, for example, have been suffering record breaking declines in recent years, with a loss of up to 70% of hives each year due to pesticide use, habitat loss, poor nutrition and parasitic infestation.
There are many things we can do to make our yards friendly to pollinators. Limiting the use of pesticides and herbicides, including natural products like neem oil and copper sprays, allows pollinators and other beneficial species to thrive while preventing the spread of poisons and dangerous chemicals to soil, pets, wildlife, water systems and natural habitats.
Growing a variety of flowering plants to host pollinators can be easy, inexpensive and scaled to the amount of space you have to work with. Including desirable host plants in your garden provides food and a safe habitat where pollinators can raise their offspring. Pollinator gardens encourage beauty and movement in our yards.
If you’d like to learn more about supporting pollinators, I’ll be teaching a free one-hour class on creating a pollinator garden at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 25, at the community center. You’ll learn which plants to include and how to care for them, and you’ll take home some seeds to get you started.
March Gardening Events:
Seed Starting 101: Proven Tips For Success Saturday March 14, 1 to 2:30 pm. Community Center on Gulf Road. Presented by Victoria Smith, sponsored by the Point Roberts Senior Association and the Point Roberts Park District.
Annual Point Roberts Seed Exchange Saturday March 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome, we have plenty of seeds to share. Bring your gardening questions and meet other local gardeners.
Daylight Savings Time begins March 8, and the Spring Solstice is March 20. You’ll find me in the garden.
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