Turn Your Lawn into a Pollinator Haven: Tips for Georgia Homeowners

Have you started planning your spring gardens yet? As springtime approaches, keep in mind plants to include that will attract nature’s pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and birds like fruit trees, vegetable gardens and flowerbeds. These hard-working creatures promote biodiversity and will turn your lawn into a pollinator haven. 

Why are Pollinators Important?

People and all living creatures rely on pollination to sustain food supplies. Therefore, the important role of pollinators is vital. Pollinators support plant diversity and heathy ecosystems. Honeybees, bumble bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and even bats are the best pollinators. As they feed across the garden, they are spreading pollen from plant to plant, which increases seed production, promotes healthy growth, and enhances blooms while producing breathable oxygen. 

How Does Pollination Work?

Pollen grains are the male reproductive cells of a flower. Pollination happens when those grains are transferred from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma (female part) of the same or another flower, allowing the plant to produce seeds through fertilization. The transfer of pollen can happen through wind, which is often the case with grasses, water, or animal pollinators like bees, birds, and butterflies that visit flowers in search of nectar, unintentionally carrying pollen with them. 

Tips for Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Lawn

Building a Georgia landscape admired by all the neighbors begins with pollinator-friendly plants. Here are some tips and tricks to help make your garden a welcoming habitat for major pollinators:

• Select Native Plants: Native plants adapted to Georgia's environment are the best choice when trying to attract pollinators. Native plants such as milkweed, lilac, coneflower, and fruit trees in addition to herbs such as oregano, sage, basil, and lavender are low-maintenance plants that provide food and habitat for local pollinators. Shrubs such as butterfly bushes and trees such as apples and cherries, also grow well in Georgia and promote pollinator activity.
• Plant a Range of Flowers: Plants producing large blooms are the best for welcoming pollinators. Diversity in the garden is a plus to lure these creatures to their nectar throughout the growing season. Be sure to plant a variety of flowers with different sizes, shapes and colors.
• Choose Natural Pest Control: To avoid harming pollinators, opt for natural pest control methods. Remove pests from plants by hand, use insecticidal soaps, and introduce natural predators including ladybugs. Pollinators like birds are also predators that can keep undesirable pests away. They prey on aphids, small rodents, and other pests that can damage plants.
• Provide Shelter: Creating space for pollinators to nest is an important way to keep them close to your garden. Pollinators like dead wood such as hollow branches, stumps, and brush piles. Carefully placed manmade shelters such as bee boxes, also are great options for giving pollinators a safe haven.

Simply Green Can Help!
Besides seed production, pollination helps stabilize soil, supports wildlife, and creates clean air. Cross-pollination between plants can even create new varieties. 

Do you need help planning your pollinator-friendly garden while beautifying your landscape? Contact Simply Green Lawn Care Plus today for advice on the best lawn care methods to keep your landscape vibrant and healthy.