Dos and Dont's for Building a Pollinator Garden

by Suzanne Smith-Oscilowski, Environmental Educator, Wissahickon Trails

Asuccessful pollinator garden includes many different types of plants.

Choose a variety of native plants:

● They don’t need fertilizers or pesticides

● They have a long association with local pollinators

● Choose plants with large, compound flowers such as Joe Pye weed, goldenrod and milkweed

● Avoid modern hybrids

● Large showy blooms may not produce nectar

● Pollinators may not be able to find the nectar or pollen through the fancy petals

Have several plants in bloom continuously from spring through fall:

● Overlap bloom times so there is always something in bloom, and plant in drifts

● Group three or more plants of the same species together — grouping helps pollinators find plants Plant close together — closer than the tag may recommend:

● Planting close together will prevent weeds, so no mulch is needed

Don’t mulch or use landscape fabric — native bees use the bare ground between plants.

Don’t clean up the garden until spring:

● Pollinators overwinter as eggs, larvae, pupae and adults — these winter residents need leaf litter and hollow stems to survive

● Keep beds of leaves through the winter

Caterpillars eat leaves — don’t panic if the plant’s leaves have holes or get eaten.

Show us your pollinator friendly plants! Tag @WissahickonTrails on social media or message us photos of your plants. We’d love to see them and share them as inspiration for what community members can do at home.

2. Buy the item — the cost of the container is tied to the product.

3. Once it’s empty, wash the returnable item and take it to the Co-op; you’ll get the cost of the container refunded.

4. Spread the word to family and friends, so they can help save the Earth, too!

As part of the Co-op’s efforts to reduce our use of single-use plastic, customers can purchase certain items in reusable containers. There are a variety of containers available, with different deposits required.