In this article we will see how to create a garden for pollinators. These animals are essential for the balance of the planet and a good part of living beings depend on them.
Pollinator gardens are a very enjoyable way to contribute to the conservation and restoration of the planet. Caring for plants undoubtedly enriches a person's life, but if they are also chosen to serve as food for, for example, bees and hummingbirds, it is an important contribution to the environment.
Let us remember that pollination is the way by which many of the plants on the planet spread. That is why it is easy to gauge the relevance that this process has for life on Earth. Most plants require animals for pollination, particularly insects and birds, but also others, such as bats and terrestrial rodents.
To the extent that these pollinators transfer pollen from one plant to another, the surrounding vegetation will maintain a good rate of regeneration and growth. Furthermore, there is an intimate relationship between pollination and our food, since most of the grains and fruits that humans eat come from trees and plants that precisely depend on pollination.
But what exactly is a pollinator garden?
In reality, it is any space dedicated to growing selected plants to help pollinators meet their nutritional needs, we are referring to nectar and pollen, as well as species to provide them with a place to reproduce and develop.
Fortunately, this “garden” can simply be a window or balcony with a couple of pots or a small surface of soil. Of course you can also design it in a large garden and even in public spaces. Simply put, any piece of land where plants can be housed is potentially a pollinator garden.
Something fundamental in these cases is that the plants chosen are native species, since these are precisely the ones that naturally provide local pollinators with what they need, in addition to requiring less care since they are fully acclimated to the conditions of the place.
To learn more about it and locate the native plants in your place, you can search for information in environmental organizations or institutions related to organic farming or landscaping in your country. Here you can consult a brief list of native species in Mexico, prepared by Conabio, and at this link you can download a “Guide to Creating Pollinator Gardens”, from the CDMX Environment Secretariat, where another list is included (p.54).
Instructions for creating your own pollinator garden
1. Define the space and understand its characteristics
The first step is to decide where we will create the space: on the roof, in a planter, on the balcony or in a portion of the garden or dirt patio. Once the space has been chosen, you have to observe how much light or shade it has, and whether it receives direct rain or will depend only on irrigation. These conditions are important as they will help us to better choose the species of plants that the garden will contain.
2. Choose the plants
To decide which plants the garden will contain, we already know that the first rule is that they are native species, and also that they correspond to the characteristics of the space we previously chose. If you want to go one step further, then you can investigate which plants attract what type of pollinators, or which plants are the best shelter for them, in addition to those that provide them with food, and also consider it in your selection. Subsequently, it is about choosing those plants that you enjoy the most – in the end, environmental conservation is always an aesthetic experience.
3. Prepare the soil and arrange the plants
Once the plants have been chosen and the space has been defined, it is time to prepare the soil. Using black or leaf soil is usually a good option. A soil rich in nutrients will help plants develop optimally. You can add organic fertilizer to the soil, for example vermicompost or manure.
4. Take care of it
The garden has already been created and the plants are in place. Now it's time to take care of them. The amount of sun and water they receive, depending on which plants you have chosen, are the two essential care factors. Also, it is important to be alert for pests or for plants to reveal to us, for example, the lack of some nutrient. Most plants only require basic care, but by creating your small garden, you are making a commitment to care for them.
5. Observe and enjoy
Finally comes contemplation and enjoyment. Observing what happens inside your garden will allow you to understand what types of pollinators you are attracting, which of these correspond to which plants and, in general, you will be surprised by the enormous amount of life and interaction that a space like this houses. Perhaps even, as William Blake suggests, you will be able to “see a world in a grain of sand” and understand important things about existence.
Ecoportal.net
