{"id":676,"date":"2012-03-08T14:30:10","date_gmt":"2012-03-08T22:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/?p=676"},"modified":"2012-03-08T14:30:10","modified_gmt":"2012-03-08T22:30:10","slug":"bringing-in-the-beneficials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/2012\/03\/bringing-in-the-beneficials\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing In The Beneficials"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inviting Bees, Bugs and Butterflies<\/strong><\/p>\n

One key to garden success is the garden\u2019s ability to attract and host beneficial insects of many kinds. Not only will we experience better cropping as pollination rates improve, but beneficials also chase away or gobble down a multitude of garden pests.<\/p>\n

Wise gardeners may set aside an area near the garden proper to act as the host space for beneficials. Organic growers call such areas \u201cbug banks,\u201d since they become storehouses of invaluable insect garden allies. In its simplest form, a bug bank strip might hold herbs like borage, dill, and mint, as well as early blooming rosemaries. The more plant variety you can offer, the greater the range and volume of insect helpers you will garner.
\n
\nNorthwest Natives For Insect Habitat
\n<\/strong>
\nNative plants that bloom early are excellent bug bank additions, including various kinds of Oregon grape (Mahonia), Indian plum (Oemleria), and flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum). Native violets, foamflower (Tiarella), Mother of thousands (Tolmia), and fringe cup (Tellima) are also good candidates.<\/p>\n

So are all sorts of \u201cweeds,\u201d which are so often more appreciated by insects and other critters than by control-oriented gardeners. The garden that supports a few thistles will also support goldfinches, and those dockweeds, buttercups, and dandelions are always in hot demand among the non-human garden users.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve Got A Little List<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some years ago, Sean Phalen, then Site Coordinator at Seattle\u2019s Judkins P-Patch presented an inspiring workshop on attracting beneficial insects at Interbay P-Patch. I saved his list of nectar-producing flowers, which Sean arranged by blooming season to help gardeners make appropriate and attractive planting choices.
\n
\nSean\u2019s Plants For Attracting Beneficial Insects<\/strong><\/p>\n

Key<\/p>\n

P= perennial;\u00a0\u00a0 B=biennial; no notation=annual;\u00a0\u00a0 I=intermittent through the year;\u00a0 F=through to frost;\u00a0\u00a0 **=super nectar producer<\/strong><\/p>\n

ULTRA EARLY (through winter)<\/strong><\/p>\n

autumn croci (**; P; pulchellus,albus,zonatus…)
\ncyclamen (**; P; neapolitanum, hederifolium, coum…)
\nsnowdrops (**; P)
\naconite (**; P)
\nborage (I, **)
\ncalendula (I, **)
\nearliest narcissici (**P)<\/p>\n

EARLY<\/strong><\/p>\n

early daffs and narcissi (**; P)
\nspecies tulips (**;\u00a0 P; tarda, hageri…)
\nglory-of-the-snow (**: P; Chionodoxa)
\niris reticulata (**; P)
\nrosemary (P, **)
\nprimrose ( P; early)
\nbolting cruciferae (**)<\/p>\n

MID-SPRING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Single Daffodils (P)
\nspecies primrose (P)
\n\u00d6scillas (**; P)
\nviolets (P; **)
\nviolas ( P, I, **)
\nanemones (**; P; Spring-St. Brigid’s mix, monarch de caen…)
\nalyssum (annual-I; and perennial; **)<\/p>\n

HIGH SPRING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Late Single Daffodils (**;P)
\nTulips-single (P)
\nDutch iris
\nAquilegia (P;columbine)
\nArmeria maritima (P; **; native-sea pinks)
\nCandytufts (annual-F, &P, **)
\nDianthus (sweet Williams, some F; and per.pinks)
\ncreeping phloxes ( P; **;incl. native P. subulata) Campanulas (P)
\nCentaurea (**; A-I; &P)
\nDigitalis (**:\u00a0 B; foxglove)
\nEnglish daisy (B; **;bellis)Godetia ( F; **;s summer’s herald-native)
\nClarkia (F; **; native-mountain garland)
\nLinaria (F; **0
\nLupines\u00a0 (A&P)
\nLunaria (B; money plant)
\nPyretheum ( P; painted daisy)
\nSaponarias (P; soapwort)
\nStocks (F, **)
\nCal. Bluebells (**, Phacelia campanularia)
\nNemophila (**)
\nTidy tips (**)
\nMyosotis ( B; **; forget-me-nots)
\nPoppies-single (all, A &P, **, California poppies-I)
\nSweet peas (**)<\/p>\n

EARLY SUMMER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anagalis ( P; blue pimpernel)
\nBidens (P; golden goddess)
\nAchilleas ( P; I; F; **; incl. native A. millefolium)
\nNasturtiums (F, **)
\nChives (**; P; both garlic and regular)
\nParsley (**: B)
\nCilantro (**)
\nErigeron
\nDill (**)
\nMints (**)
\nDymorphotheca ( F; African daisy)
\nDahlberg Daisy (F)
\nShasta Daisy-single ( some F)
\ngeranium (some F; true geranium-NOT Pelargonium)
\nGilia (**; birds eyes)
\nPurple tansy (**; Phacelia tanecetifolia)
\nSilene (**; P;\u00a0 catchfly)
\nHesperus matronalis ( P;\u00a0 **; sweet rocket)
\nLinums (**; A & P)
\nLobelias (A- F; &P)
\nMonarda (**; P)
\nNepetas ( **; P;F; catnip, catmint…)
\nPotentillas (P, F)
\nSpireas (P)
\nViscaria (**; rose angel)
\nthymes (**; P)<\/p>\n

HIGH SUMMER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Agastaches (**; P; licorice mint…)
\nAsclepias (**; b-fly weed)
\nAsters-single (A&P; F; **)
\nbrachymone ( F; swan river daisy)
\nBasils (**)
\nCatananche (P; cupid’s dart)
\nCentranthus ( P; F; jupiter’s beard)
\nCleome ( F; spider flower\u00f9)
\nAnnual chrysanthemum (F)
\nConvolvulus (F)
\ncoreopsis (F; **)
\nCosmos ( F; ; A&P)
\nDianthus ( F; A &P; carnations, ann. pinks… singles)
\nEupatorium ( **; joe pye weed)
\nGaillardia (F; **;\u00a0 A & P)
\nGazania (transvaal daisy)
\nHollyhocks-singles (**; P, B & A; singles)
\nMarigolds ( **; F; singles-“gem” series T. signata)
\nsummer savory
\nZinnias ( **; F; singles; Africans “profusion”series)
\nSalvias and sages ( some F; **; A & P)
\nOreganos ( **; P)
\nMalvas (P)
\nMimulus
\nPenstemons ( P; some F; incl. natives)
\nGauras ( P; F; **)
\nPhlox ( F; A & P)
\nPhysostegia (F; P;\u00a0 obedient plant)
\nPortulaca (F)
\nSunflowers-singles ( **; F; A & P)
\nTahoka daisy (**; F)
\nTorenia (F; wishbone flower)
\nTrachymene ( F; **;blue lace flower)
\nVerbenas ( F; **; A&P)
\nVerbascums (**; P)
\nVeronias ( P; **; F; speedwell)
\nLilies (**; P)
\nDaylilies-singles (**, P; some F)<\/p>\n

LATE SUMMER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asters-singles ( F: A&P: late)
\nAmaranthus (F)
\nEchinaceas (**; P; F; coneflowers)
\nCal\u00b4liopsis( **; F)
\nRudbeckias-singles (**; F; P;\u00a0 black-eyed susans)
\nRatibida (**; F; P; prairie coneflower)
\nOrnamental grasses (P- important part of beneficial bugs\u2019 life-cycle)
\nOenothera (**; P; F; evening primroses)
\nSedums (**; F; P; incl. natives)
\nEarly, single mums (F; P)
\nTithonia (**; F; Mexican sunflower)
\nSolidagos (**; F; goldenrods)<\/p>\n

FALL<\/strong><\/p>\n

colchicums (**; P)
\nlate single mums (F; P)
\nlate sedums (**:F; P)
\nfall anemones(**; F; P)
\nsaffron crocus (**;P; all autumn crocus)….<\/p>\n

So what to do with all this stuff? <\/strong><\/p>\n

As Sean says, \u201cWhat’s the bare minimum, maximum benefit plan?? I give a 4-6″ border along my raised beds to marigolds, nasturtiums, alyssums and dw. zinnias. Throw in some herbs throughout your plot- mints grown in a coffee
\ncan with both ends cut out, some chives and thyme (these last 3 are good near cruciferae), summer savory with your beans, some basils and garlic (to flower) among solanums, some dill intersown with a tall crop or at back of plot, some overwintered parsley to bloom, a radish (to bloom) in each hill of cucurbitae- and your plot is a bennie (beneficial bug) truck stop!”<\/p>\n

“Use some “living mulches” among taller crops (cruciferae, solanum, corn…) such as alyssums, Nemophila, tidy tips, California poppies and bluebells, even Dutch white clover increases the effect exponentially.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet some crops bolt (deadhead before seed matures) to take it to the next level. Throw in some of the real nectar-super producers along the edge w\/ the annuals (linums, Phacelia, gilias, clarkias, godetias, dw. coreopsis, violas, dwarf bachelor buttons…) and some fall\/winter\/spring bulbs and prepare for the haze!\u201d (Sean likes to see a \u201cliving haze\u201d of insects in the garden as often as possible.)<\/p>\n

\u201cYou’ll get more more reliable pollination and consistent control of your pests. Beyond that, it’s a personal art-you’ll refine your plan for your crops and microclimate as you go. A minimum of “land wasted on flowers”, a maximum of output with little labor. It’s the only way to fly!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Thanks, Sean!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inviting Bees, Bugs and Butterflies One key to garden success is the garden\u2019s ability to attract and host beneficial insects of many kinds. Not only will we experience better cropping as pollination rates improve, but beneficials also chase away or … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[59,91,43,130,182,42,92],"tags":[406,405,407],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1lB7f-aU","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":678,"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions\/678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.loghouseplants.com\/blogs\/greengardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}