Gardening for Pollinators and Wildlife – June 14, 2022

Table of Contents

• Shannon’s Note
• Nursery Update
• Presentation
• Native Plant Sale
  • Available Items
  • Pre-order logistics
• June Tasks When Gardening for Pollinators and Wildlife
• Subscribe to Newsletter

Shannon’s Note

June 20-26 is National Pollinator Week, and we have a busy week planned to celebrate pollinators and pollinator gardening. Throughout the week, I’ll be profiling plants that are really good for pollinators on our Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting Facebook page. But that’s only the beginning of our planned National Pollinator Week activities.

On Tuesday, June 21, we’ll be making an exciting announcement related to Backyard Ecology which I think many of you may be interested in. Watch the Backyard Ecology website, follow the Backyard Ecology Facebook page, or wait until Thursday, June 23, and listen to the Backyard Ecology podcast to share in our exciting news.

Then on Saturday, June 25, we are helping Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, KY celebrate National Pollinator Week. I’ll be giving a presentation on butterflies and butterfly gardening. We’ll also have our second native plant sale there. All of the details for both of those events can be found below.

I hope to see you on June 25. Also, please share this information with anyone you know who likes to garden and would like to encourage more pollinators in their yards. Oh! And, we’re taking the month of July off from doing deliveries and plant sales. So, if you want something but are debating about getting it now or waiting until next month, don’t wait.

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Nursery Update

I am absolutely amazed at how gorgeous the plants are looking. They are big, and tall, and bushy. We have multiple species in full bloom. In many cases, they are ready to give you that instant gratification of having a mature, or nearly mature, plant ready to go in the ground right now. Rather than tell you about them, I’m just going to show them to you.

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Presentation

Class: Attracting Butterflies to Your Yard

I will be giving a presentation titled Attracting Butterflies to Your Yard at Lost River Cave from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on June 25. In this presentation we will learn about some of our common butterflies and the native plants you can grow to attract them.

The cost of the presentation is $5. Ticket purchases are done through Lost River Cave.

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Native Plant Sale

On June 25, we will be having our second native plant sale at Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, KY from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Below are most of the items that we will have. There are a few other species where we only have one or two individuals left. Depending on available space we may also being some of them to the sale.

We also have two new species that will be available for the first time this season at the June 25 sale – cardinal flower and river oats. This is the first year that we’ve grown river oats.

You are welcome to come browse the plants and other items we have available the day of the sale. If there are specific items that you want to make sure I have with me and don’t sell out of before you get there, then you can put in a pre-order for the sale. Logistics for placing a pre-order can also be found below.

Available Items:

Books, Gift Certificates, and Honey

Native Wildflowers for Pollinators and Wildlife (Click on a thumbnail for detailed information about that plant.)

Native Grasses for Pollinators and Wildlife (Click on a thumbnail for detailed information about that plant.)

Native Shrubs and Trees for Pollinators and Wildlife (Click on a thumbnail for detailed information about that plant.)

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Pre-Order Logistics and What to Expect

• E-mail the following information to shannon@busybeenurseryandconsulting.com
  • List of items, sizes, and quantities that you want to order.
• Ordering deadline: noon on Thursday, June 23.
  • Orders are filled in the order that I receive them.
  • I will make sure I have everything you want and send you the total for the order.
• On the day of the delivery:
  • I will have your order ready to go when you arrive.
  • You can pay by cash, check, or card.
  • If you are not satisfied with any of the plants that I picked for you, please let me know before you leave with them and I will be happy to keep those plants. I am not responsible for plants after you take possession of them.

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June Tasks When Gardening for Pollinators and Wildlife

• Plant in the early morning or evening (my preferred time) and avoid planting in the heat of the day for the sake of yourself and your plants.
• Give any new plants plenty of water to help them get established.
  • Even native plants need a little help their first year.
• Check for and remove any paper wasp nests in butterfly houses or empty birdhouses near your gardens.
  • I actually recommend removing or blocking the entrances to butterfly houses. I discuss why in this Backyard Ecology blog.

• It’s always a good time to kill invasive species.
  • Stilt grass (Microstegium sp.) can be easily pulled in garden beds.
  • If you are using herbicides, be sure to read and follow the label.
• Take time to watch the fireflies at night. There are some gorgeous displays going on right now.

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