Building a NDSU Certified Home Pollinator Garden

What is The Buzz?

Welcome to The Buzz, a pollinator conservation podcast hosted by April Johnson, Extension Pollinator Technician at NDSU. Dive into the fascinating world of bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators as we explore their critical roles in our ecosystems, the challenges they face, and practical ways we can all contribute to their conservation. Tune in for expert insights, inspiring stories, and actionable tips to help our pollinators thrive!

Welcome to The Buzz, your go-to pollinator conservation podcast! I'm April Johnson, the NDSU Extension Pollinator Technician, and in today's episode, we'll be exploring the criteria for building a NDSU Certified Home Pollinator garden, the goals and benefits of the initiative, and some tips and tricks to making your pollinator garden the best fit for you and your bees.

This podcast is supported in part by the USDA, NIFA Crop Protection and Pest Management - Extension Implementation Program, award number 2021-70006-35330. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA.

Why do we care about pollinator habitat?

Pollinators play a crucial role in the reproduction of many flowering plants and contribute to the production of over 75% of the world's crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The vibrant and colorful blooming plants that we admire in gardens and natural landscapes rely heavily on pollinators for their reproduction. These living organisms, including bees, butterflies, birds, and other insects, facilitate the transfer of pollen between flowers, ensuring successful fertilization and seed production.

Pollinator habitat is facing numerous threats, leading to a steady reduction across the globe. Factors such as climate change, widespread use of herbicides in agriculture, habitat loss due to urban expansion, and fragmentation of natural landscapes are putting immense pressure on pollinator populations and their habitats. Private citizens can help mitigate the loss of pollinator habitat by creating pollinator-friendly gardens in their own yards or communities. These small-scale habitats, when multiplied across neighborhoods and urban areas, can make a significant positive impact on pollinator populations.

What is NDSU Extension Pollinator Conservation doing to protect pollinator habitat?

My role as extension pollinator technician is to educate my community and promote the restoration and expansion of pollinator habitat across our region. My team and I fully believe that home gardeners can make a significant positive impact on pollinator conservation.

We have certified over 240 public and private gardens in MN, MT, ND, and SD since the program began in 2016 for a total of over 4.7 million square feet. This year we are partnering with Fargo Parks to certify around 50 acres of new pollinator habitat.

What is a pollinator garden?

A pollinator garden is a specially designed garden or landscaped area planted with a variety of flowers, shrubs, and trees that attract and support pollinating insects, birds, and other wildlife. The primary goal of a pollinator garden is to provide a habitat that encourages pollinators to visit, forage for nectar and pollen, contribute to the pollination of flowering plants, and potentially reproduce the next generation of pollinators.

These gardens feature a diverse array of native plants that bloom at different times throughout the growing season to provide food sources for pollinators year-round. Additionally, pollinator gardens include nesting sites, water sources, and shelter to further support the needs of pollinating species.

What are the benefits of a pollinator garden other than preserving pollinator habitat?

Education: Creating pollinator habitat provides an opportunity for private citizens to educate themselves and others about the importance of pollinators, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship. Through hands-on experience, individuals can learn about the ecological connections between plants, pollinators, and other wildlife, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature.

Community Engagement: Pollinator gardens can serve as focal points for community engagement and collaboration. By working together to create and maintain pollinator habitat, neighbors and local organizations can strengthen social bonds, beautify shared spaces, and contribute to the well-being of their communities.

Personal Enjoyment: Beyond their ecological benefits, pollinator gardens offer private citizens the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of nature in their own yards or public spaces. Watching pollinators visit flowers, observing the lifecycle of butterflies and bees, and experiencing the sights and scents of blooming plants can bring joy and fulfillment to individuals and families.

What are the requirements for a NDSU Certified Home Pollinator Garden?

Eligibility for certification: Applicants are eligible if they reside in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, or Montana and meet the guidelines in the application.

Garden size: there is no official recommended size, but you will have to give an approximation in the application. If you're looking for a recommendation, I'd say start with a 8x8 or larger. Pressure treated landscape timbers make excellent borders and are sold in 8' boards. Borders are absolutely key to making a space look cultivated and intentional.

Location: it doesn't matter where you install your garden (though a spot with full sun is ideal). The application will ask you to categorize it as urban or rural, and public or private.

Plant selection: Choose plants with staggered bloom times so nectar and pollen is available spring-fall. You will need two selections for each of these bloom periods: April/May (such as wild geranium, crocus, prairie smoke, or grape hyacinth), June (catmint, golden alexander, butterfly milkweed, or chives), July/August (anise-hyssop, black-eyed susan, meadow blazing star, or bee balm), and fall (new england aster, goldenrod, purple prairie clover, and sedums).

Shelter & nesting sites: Pollinators need resting places where they can rest between foraging activities and find protection from predators. Shrubs, trees, tall grasses, are great for protection, and man-made structures such as fences and benches work well as perches.

Some pollinators, particularly insects like butterflies and certain bee species, overwinter as adults, larvae, or pupae. Sheltered locations such as leaf litter, dense vegetation, and hollow plant stems provide protection from freezing temperatures. Nesting sites are especially important for solitary bees. Sites can be dense vegetation, brush piles, dead wood, rock crevices, abandoned rodent dens, and bare ground.

A minimum of one place for pollinators to nest over winter is required for certification.
-Bee house
-Butterfly house
-Provide bare ground that is not plowed
-Don't cut down perennials in fall
-Dead wood

A quick note about bee houses: This is an acceptable form of shelter on the application. However, after the first season of use, the bee houses are dirty and unsuitable for the next generation. If you choose this option, have a maintenance plan in place for cleaning the tubes every spring, or replace the bee house altogether.

Water source: pollination and foraging for nectar is thirsty work. A minimum of one water source in the pollinator garden is required for a certification. Options include:
-Birdbath
-Butterfly puddling area
-Fountain
-Nearby pond, lake, or stream
-Water garden
-Cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum

Pesticide use: the last question in the certification application is a pledge to use pollinator-friendly pesticide practices in the pollinator garden. ALL of the following pesticide practices are required to be certified:
-Reduce spraying
-Use the least toxic pesticide
-Do not spray blooming plants
-Spray only late in the evening
-Always follow pesticide labels
-Identify the pest before taking action

As we wrap up this episode on the requirements for a NDSU certified home pollinator garden, remember that your efforts in creating a pollinator-friendly space are not just about beautifying your surroundings, but also about making a positive impact on the environment. By meeting the criteria for certification, you are providing essential habitat for pollinators and contributing to broader conservation efforts.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, I encourage you to take the necessary steps to create a welcoming haven for pollinators in your own backyard. You can find the application in the pollinator section of the North Dakota State University Extension.

Be sure to subscribe to The Buzz for future episodes, and follow us on Facebook at NDSU Extension Pollinator Conservation. Until next time, continue to make your gardens a biodiverse haven for pollinators of all shapes and sizes. Thanks for listening.