Pollinator Plants

If you don’t have some pollinator plants, say wildflowers, or at least some blooming weeds in your yard, plan for them.

Attracting bees, wasps, moths and other pollinators will increase your yields – and they add a little joy to the grim slog of Depression 2.0.

It’s easy enough to tear up some ground and chuck wildflower seeds around. And often, the plants will come back year after year, provided they’re suited to Florida.

I’ve had zinnias, morning glories, tobacco, marigolds, sunflowers, 4 o’clocks, Jamaican sorrel and wild mints come back in subsequent years.

Perennial plants are even better.

The ornamental sage below is great for attracting good insects and hummingbirds.

Pollinator plants like Mexican sage are both lovely and useful

Bonus: it starts by plant division, so if you get one, you can later cut it into chunks and spread it around your yard (I put them beneath my fruit trees) once it gets big enough to divide. Also – don’t forget to include some Shepherd’s needle in your yard somewhere… it’s perhaps the most incredible bee and butterfly magnet that’s ever popped up in an un-mowed lawn.

Make some habitat for the pollinators… your fruit trees and gardens will thank you.

And – I can’t say this enough – plant a food forest! Even a little one provides food for you and a place for the pollinators and other good guys.