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Gardening for Pollinators and Wildlife – December 5, 2023

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Everything that you see that is green in this picture is an invasive species – primarily bush honeysuckle with some wintercreeper on the ground.

Shannon’s Note

As the temperatures drop and winter approaches, it is easy to get lulled into the false sense that everything is done in our pollinator and wildlife gardens. But there is actually a lot still going on in our gardens and a lot that you can be doing.

One of the important things you can be doing right now is identifying the woody invasive species you have on your property. Whether you live in town or in the middle of nowhere, it is likely that you have multiple invasive species on your property. At least for the woody species, this is a really good time to spot many of them.

Anthony created this Backyard Ecology video last year that talks about identifying woody invasive species in the winter. Then once you know what you have, you may be able to do some control work depending on the species and the method you are using.

Speaking of Backyard Ecology, that’s where Anthony and I produce all kinds of educational content to help people in the eastern U.S. learn about native plants, pollinators, and wildlife, as well as how to create pollinator and wildlife habitat. Through Backyard Ecology, we offer a free a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, and weekly newsletter.

If you want more focused help and support, we also have course / coaching programs and an ongoing program (community) designed to help you improve, maintain, and enjoy your pollinator and wildlife habitat. In fact, last week we had a detailed discussion in the community about controlling invasive species on our members’ properties.

If you want to learn more about the native plants you are growing, how they fit into the ecosystem, and the pollinators and wildlife that you are wanting to attract, then I encourage you to check out Backyard Ecology. Later in this newsletter, I’ll also include some Backyard Ecology resources focused on invasive species to get you started.

Have a great day!
Shannon

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Are you looking for a budget-friendly way to purchase native plants? Check out our native plant plugs – new for 2024!

Don’t Forget to Order Your Native Plant Plugs!

Plugs are younger seedlings that haven’t put on as much vegetative growth but have already developed good strong root systems. Because they are smaller plants, plugs offer a more budget-friendly option if you want to purchase larger quantities of plants.

Our native plant plugs will be sold in flats of 50 and you can mix and match between 38 different species. Some species will be available in the spring (May) and some species will be available in the fall (September).

You must pre-order your plugs so that we have time grow them for you. The order deadline for spring plugs is January 1 and the order deadline for fall plugs is July 1. You can find all the details including which species will be available and how to place your order at the link below.

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The Backyard Ecology Community is a source of ongoing support to help you improve, maintain, expand, and enjoy your pollinator and wildlife habitat.

Gain Ongoing Support for Your Pollinator and Wildlife Projects

🦋 Are you tired of spending countless hours researching how to grow native plants and attract pollinators and wildlife to your yard, only to end up confused and unsure about how to implement everything you just read or watched?

🦋 Have you ever wished there was a way that you could ask questions and get expert advice and guidance that was tailored to your unique situation, property, and goals?

🦋 Would you like to be part of an ongoing program designed to help you improve, maintain, expand, and enjoy your pollinator and wildlife habitat?

Then we encourage you to check out the Backyard Ecology Community. We created the Backyard Ecology Community for people just like you – busy homeowners in the eastern U.S. who love nature and want to attract pollinators and wildlife to their properties.

The Backyard Ecology Community will help you improve, maintain, expand, and enjoy your pollinator and wildlife habitat. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to confidently create and maintain a functioning ecosystem on your property that attracts lots of pollinators and wildlife, while also giving you time to sit back and enjoy what you’ve created.

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Nursery News

The nursery is officially closed for the season, but we’re already making plans for next year. We plan to offer multiple new species in 2024 and will be adding them to the tentative 2024 plant list over the next couple of months. These species will be offered in quart, gallon, and/or 3-gallon sizes depending on the species and age of the plant.

As described above, we’re also excited to offer native plant plugs for the first time in 2024. If you’re interested in placing an order for plugs, don’t forget that January 1 is the order deadline for spring pickup. See the link above to learn more about placing a plug order.

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Upcoming Sales and Events

We are now in our winter delivery season. During the winter season we have books, honey, and gift certificates available. (All of which make excellent holiday gifts. Hint. Hint. 😀)

Our December deliveries will be December 15 (Glasgow) and December 16 (Bowling Green). Details for how to put in an order can be found below. Thursday, December 14, is your deadline to place an order for the December deliveries.

Available Items:

Books, Gift Certificates, and Honey

Honey from my bees in Barren County ($15)
Attracting Pollinators and Wildlife to Your Yard: 15 Free and Easy Ways ($11)
Planting for Honey Bees in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys ($32)
Gift Certificates – good for any of my products or services
(you choose the amount)

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Backyard Ecology Resources

Did you know that Anthony and I produce a variety of free educational resources every week to help and encourage you as you grow native plants, create miniature ecosystems on your property, and attract pollinators and wildlife? Below are some of our free resources related to invasive species.

YouTube playlist

Podcast

Blog articles

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Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting

Helping you create the pollinator and wildlife habitat of your dreams, so you can enjoy your land and care for the plants and animals that also call your property home.

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