Athena Rayne Anderson

This post was originally published on August 8, 2011, on my blog “Pollinators Info” (no longer online).

If you have as little as a windowsill on which to hang a planter, you’re off to a good start! Select a low-growing plant native to your region so it won’t get too large and heavy for the planter. Picking one species is best because lots of plants in clumps are more beneficial to pollinators than one plant scattered here and there. If you use a mix, there might only be one or two plants of each species blooming at one time; not so great for pollinators. Check out Pollinator Partnership’s Ecoregional Planting Guides to pick your species. If you want to get even more particular, choosing a species that blooms for a long time will have the most benefit. But don’t worry! Even if you can only find one that blooms for a month, you’ll be providing great pollinator food for that month! Other people on your block could have the other months covered!

If you have more than a windowsill, try several planters! If you have a tiny balcony, you could have planters hanging from the railing AND in pots on the floor! Larger pots on the floor can handle the weight of larger, taller plants than a hanging planter. In addition to benefiting pollinators, they could create a pretty living screen around your balcony!

If you have any yard space, turn it into a pollinator garden, instead of a lawn. You could plant the whole space in a native seed mix, or have several framed plots with different species. Check out my two favorite native seed sources: Prairie Moon Nursery and American Meadows.

Start or join a community garden! Pollinators will benefit whether the garden is for growing food or is devoted to pollinators! Again, check out the Pollinator Partnership’s guides for plant species for your area if you and your community want to have a dedicated pollinator garden. Check out the fantastic new book, Attracting Native Pollinators, for tips on starting a community garden!

These actions might sound insignificant because some of them are small-scale indeed. But every little bit makes a difference! Research on urban pollinators in California has shown that these little steps make a huge difference in attracting pollinators and keeping their populations healthy. There really are pollinators even in the largest cities, and they’re just searching for YOUR flowers!

Featured image from Pexels free images.