by Aina Ferris, The Native Explorer co-founder
Organic, pesticide-free, and non-GMO. These are just some of the benefits prompting many green thumbed homeowners to grow their own food.
Two separate surveys conducted by Scotts Miracle-Gro and Bonnie Plants during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic revealed an estimated 55% of US adults* or at least 20 million first-time gardeners† picked up the interest during the lockdown. Meanwhile, a University of Georgia study composed of 4,200 participants, determined that one out of three individuals began gardening in 2020. One out of 10 claimed they would continue gardening in the future. Of this number, 11% were Gen Xers while 13% were Millennials and younger. Benjamin Campbell, lead author of the study and an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences stated,
“We saw a lot of younger consumers come into the market because they were having to stay home. Gardening not only gave people something to do, but it also gave them a little bit more happiness.”
Practical reasons were likewise revealed, with 14% of participants concerned about food shortage and the rising cost of produce and other foods.
Pollinator Power
Numerous native bees and other pollinating insects play a significant role in the development of fruits and seeds. One example according to the non-profit organization Grow Native! is the Squash Bee. No other pollinator can assist in the fertilization and consequential fruit production of this specific crop.
Tomatoes, peppers, and cranberries depend on the pollination process called, sonication or buzz pollination. Bumblebees such as the ecologically threatened Western Bumblebee are experts at this method. Imagine a female bumble latching her jaws on a tomato blossom and rapidly vibrating her wing muscles (not her wings) to release pollen embedded in the flower’s anthers. Once she gets her fill, she flies to another tomato flower with her bounty of pollen. Whether she is aware of it or not, the sonication method she utilizes transfers pollen to this new flower. This action induces fertilization which is necessary for fruit production.
A study by the Xerxes Society, a science-based non-profit organization leading the protection and conservation of invertebrates, has revealed that compared to honeybees (which are non-native to the US),
“Native pollinators are on the job earlier, work longer hours, are more active in colder and wetter weather, and are more efficient in distributing pollen than honeybees.”§
Generalist and Specialist Pollinators
Pollinators can either be generalists or specialists. Generalists such as bumblebees benefit from gathering nectar and pollen from the flowers of various food crops, annual and perennial flowering plants. Specialists such as the squash bee mentioned earlier, have evolved to form a symbiotic relationship with specific plants. An estimated one-third of our native bees are specialists. They have even been observed to emerge from their nests during the bloom period of specific host plants. Whether generalist or specialist, if pollinators disappear, nearly 90% of all earth’s plants and most other multicellular species (including humans) may not survive.‡ This makes it essential for home gardeners to plant not just fruit and vegetable crops, but to integrate native perennials, shrubs, and trees to their property.
Beyond Zinnias and Marigolds
Why the need for native plants when home gardeners have successfully used non-native zinnias, marigolds, sunflowers, and dahlias as vegetable garden companions? Don’t get us wrong. The Native Explorer team isn’t opposed to these traditional selections. Our mission is to simply put this bug in every homeowner’s ear:
Adding native plants to a vegetable garden area ensures a steady population of beneficial pollinators
Co-evolution of regional flora and fauna throughout millennia gives native plants the upper hand at meeting the nutritional needs of local wildlife
Native plants flourish in their region’s soil, climate, and weather conditions. They don’t require fertilizers
Bloom times coincide with the arrival or emergence of the wildlife they support
Food Crops and Companion Native Plants
Grow Native! partnered with native bee specialist, Mike Arduser to create a list of Missouri native plants beneficial to every homeowner’s fruit and vegetable gardens.
Strawberries
• Pollinated by Small-Medium bees (Augochlorella, Lasioglossum, Halictus, Osmia, Ceratina)
• Companion native plants: New Jersey Tea, Golden Alexander, Wild Hyacinth, Common Cinquefoil, Roundleaf Groundsel and other Packera species
Blackberries/ Raspberries
• Pollinated by Small-Medium-Large bees (Augochlorella, Lasioglossum, Halictus, bumblebees)
• Companion native plants: Indigo Bush, Jacob’s Ladder, Downy Hawthorn, Green Hawthorn, New Jersey Tea
Blueberries
• Pollinated by Medium-Large bees (Augochlora, Andrena, Eucera, Colletes, bumblebees)
• Companion native plants: Redbud, Bee Balm/Horsemint, Virginia Bluebells, Wild Geranium, Blue-eyed Mary, Wild Hyacinth, Plum species, Shining Blue Star, Fringed Blue Star, Eastern Blue Star
Tomatoes/ Peppers/ Eggplants
• Pollinated by Medium-Large bees (Lasioglossum, Augochloropsis, Anthophora, bumblebees, Halictus, Melissodes bimaculatus, Agapostemon)
• Companion native plants: Foxglove Beardtongue, Pale Purple Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, Blue Wild Indigo, Purple Prairie Clover, Leadplant, Tall Coreopsis
Green Beans
• Pollinated by Medium-Large bees (Megachile, bumblebees)
• Companion native plants: Common Milkweed, Germander, Prairie Blazing Star, Butterfly Milkweed, Purple Prairie Clover, Wild Bergamot
Squashes
• Pollinated by Large bees (Peponapis, Xenoglossa, bumblebees, Melissodes bimaculatus)
• Companion native plants: Leadplant, Purple Prairie Clover, Germander, Butterfly Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Wild Bergamot, Sunflowers, Tall Coreopsis
Cucumbers/ Zucchini/ Melons
• Pollinated by Medium-Large bees (Peponapis, Xenoglossa, bumblebees, Melissodes bimaculatus, Halictus, Augochlora, Agapostemon)
• Companion native plants: Leadplant, Purple Prairie Clover, Germander, Butterfly Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Wild Bergamot, Sunflowers, Tall Coreopsis
Okra
• Pollinated by Medium-Large bees (Bumblebees, Melissodes bimaculatus, Ptilothrix bombiformis)
• Companion native plants: Ironweed, Curlytop Ironweed, Prairie Blazing Star, Common Milkweed, Sunflowers, Tall Coreopsis, Rose Mallow
Apples, Peaches, Pears and Plums have big enough flowers to attract Medium-Large bee species such as Andrena, Colletes, Halictus, Lasioglossum, Augochlora, and Augochlorella on their own.
No Fertilizer or Pesticide
Growing native plants as crop companions may also eliminate the need for fertilizers and pesticides. With more beneficial insects assisting in the fertilization of your crops’ flowers, you may expect more fruit and seed production. Beneficial insects and the birds and bats they attract, likewise prey on agricultural pests such as caterpillars, ants, grubs, leafhoppers, aphids, snails, scale insects, and codling moth.
Research conducted at an orchard in California revealed that Downy Woodpeckers and Chestnut-backed Chickadees ate 85% of overwintering coddling moths, a pest known to infest apple trees.§
In a three-year study conducted by Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), scientists and farmers tested holistic ecological approaches to agricultural land management. Dubbed as farmscaping, the technique involved the creation of native prairie strips, hedgerows or buffer strips along the borders of the work land. Since native grasses and perennial plants have deeper tap roots, installing them in the same field as vegetable crops proved successful in preventing soil erosion. Water quality likewise improved because the root system of native plants trapped and reduced the amount of sediments washed in from waterways. The study even noted the reduction of chemical pesticide use.§ If large-scale produce farmers attest to the benefits of integrating native plants to their land, shouldn’t home gardeners give it a try?
Fellow homeowners, whether your motivation for gardening is to enjoy organic produce or beautify your home's landscaping, consider the benefit of including native plants in your property. They’ll increase the number of beneficial insects in your produce patch, thereby increasing your crop yield. They’ll serve as critical host plants for endangered invertebrate species. They’ll attract the most beautiful butterflies, dragonflies, and songbirds. Moreover, they’ll showcase bursts of seasonal color that will lift your spirits after a long day’s work.
For information on Missouri native plants and to stay up-to-date on news, features, and activities, visit The Native Explorer page on Facebook @Wildlings.of.StLouis. You may also join our Facebook group created especially for Missouri residents. Search for the Facebook group, MO Homeowners for Native Plants and Wildlife. For inquiries, email us at The.Native.Explorer@gmail.com.
#GoWild #TheNativeExplorer #WeDoWhatWeCan #NativePlants #Farmscaping #Pollinators #Vegetables #VegetableGarden #Fruits #Homeowners #Organic #Fertilizer #Pesticide #Bees #Butterflies #Honeybee #Bumblebee #Insects #Invertebrates #Apple #Tomatoes #Pepper #Squash #Cucumber #Songbirds #Seasonal #Strawberries #NonGMO #Wildlife #PesticideFree #OrganicGardening #GreenThumb #Earth #HostPlant #Crops #Agriculture #Garden #Home #WorkFromHome #Produce #GrowNative #XerxesSociety
References:
https://alabamanewscenter.com/2021/06/01/survey-finds-many-turned-to-gardening-during-the-pandemic/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/04/14/coronavirus-gardening-hobby-and-self-sustainability-create-interest/2923047001/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220321103752.htm
https://www.xerces.org/bumblebees
https://www.audubon.org/news/tomatoes-and-bumblebees
§https://www.ecolandscaping.org/09/designing-ecological-landscapes/native-plants/farmscaping-with-native-plants/
‡https://www.newhopeaudubon.org/blog/plant-for-specialist-bees/
*Scotts Miracle-Gro
†Bonnie Plants
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