Category: Pollinators

Your Yard will Bloom All Season with Pollinator Friendly Plants

Posted on | by Organic Lawns by Lunseth

This summer and fall you can have continuous blooms when you design your landscape with native plants.The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources has a great publication that explains how native plants are the prefered food sources of pollinators and – with the right plan – provide a yard full of color until the first frost. Here are their recommendations.

Most pollinators are adapted to native plant communities. Which is why native plantings provide the best support for native pollinator species.

  • Continuous bloom throughout the growing season helps ensure pollinators have food when they need it. This allows them to conserve energy by not having to travel long distances when blooms are scarce. Include an assortment of flower colors, sizes, shapes and scents to attract a variety of pollinators.
  • Grouping plants together looks amazing and can help pollinators find and access resources more easily. It also is a way to create a sense of order in your planting
  • Buy Locally Produced Native Plants: this helps protect nearby native plant communities and provides plant species that are sure to be compatible with local insect populations. (see plant lists and Wild Ones resources)

Where you buy your plants is very important. Some nurseries treat their plants with insecticides and fungicides that are harmful to pollinators in your garden.

  • Best Selections: LUNSETH can provide information on specific plant species that provide excellent pollen and nectar resources for native bees, monarchs, and other pollinators.

LUNSETH also recommends the best plants for your landscape based on your site conditions (soil, water, light, space). Our installations are planted with growth in mind. They will look great on installation and fill in over time to look better and better every year.

If you’re interested in having a yard filled with color this summer, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH to create the best program for your yard.

Perennial Care

Posted on | by Organic Lawns by Lunseth

Perennials started popping up earlier than normal this spring.  And our steady rains have helped mine thrive and I hope yours have, too.  But we still need to make sure we do what’s needed to help them succeed through all the conditions a Minnesota summer will throw at them.  Here are some great perennial care tips from our friends at the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.

Remove Last Year’s Growth

This is important but the timing depends on your priorities. We hope you’re interested in helping pollinators and other insects. If you are, June is a good time to do this.  If you prune too early, you may disrupt pollinators that have created nests or hibernated in plant stems during the fall. Cutting the stems down too early could destroy eggs or kill the pollinators who are still in hibernation.

Remove Mulch

Mulch helps insulate gardens during the winter. But, once it gets warm, it isn’t as important and can generate mold in wet conditions.  

Watering

The great news is that perennials do not need regular watering. The Horticultural Society says to check and see if the soil is dry 4 to 5 inches down or if the plants seem droopy, then give them a good drink.

Divide

Dividing a perennial that has been established for is a great way to reinvigorate the plant in spring. The Society says you can tell if a perennial needs dividing by looking for a “doughnut” in the plant when it emerges.  If there is a hole in the center of the plant as it comes up in spring, it’s a good time to divide the plant.

Fertilize

The good news for people trying to keep their yards and gardens natural or even organic, is that many perennials don’t need any fertilizer. The Horticulture Society references prairie plants-such as coneflowers, rudbeckia and blazing star-doing best in a lean soil. Others can do well with just a light sprinkling of organic compost.

LUNSETH’s Landscaping team provides advice on how to choose the best perennials for your gardens as part our design and installation services.  Contact LUNSETH for a quote on landscaping opportunities for your yard.

Winter Love for Untidy Lawns & Gardens

Posted on | by Organic Lawns by Lunseth

A yard without leaves and a garden without dead stalks sticking up all winter long brings a sense of satisfaction. But at Organic Bob we promote a love of untidy lawns and gardens. These organic materials serve to nurture the soil and also provide shelter for pollinators.

Our friends at the Pollinator Friendly Alliance explain that most pollinators stay over winter, looking for shelter in both plants and the ground. “During cold months, dead plant stems, old bark, cane, leaves, and undisturbed soil are the secret winter homes of pollinators. Leaving piles of leaves, compost or wood help all manner of creatures including salamanders, beneficial insects, and pollinators. Many solitary bees like mason bees burrow under tree bark or wood piles. Some have gorged like bears to make it through the winter; others wait in suspended animation as larvae, pupae, or eggs.

“Something you should be aware of as you begin to tidy up your garden for winter – especially burning or removing the plant stems, you may be destroying hibernating bees or bee nurseries. So, it’s important to leave plants standing until late spring when temperatures rise and nectar and pollen is available.”

If you have a question about keeping a pollinator friendly yard, contact the experts.