Pollinator Project

Butterfly on Purple Flowers

The Project: Honeybees pollinate approximately $10 billion worth of crops in the United States each year. However, of the hundred or so crops that make up most of the world's food supply, only 15% are pollinated by domestic bees, while at least 80% are pollinated by wild bees and other wildlife. To combat the declining bee and butterfly population the Lincoln County Land Services Department has been awarded a grant to convert two (2) acres of turf grass into pollinator habitat.

 

The Plan:

Year One (2020)
Weed control during the first growing season is essential. Weed growth will be combatted by mowing the site about once a month during the first growing season or when the weeds reach the height of 12 inches or prior to the weeds seeding out. As a general rule of thumb, anything that grows taller than 12 inches in the first year is most likely a weed. Mowing the vegetation down to six inches will cut back taller weeds, while leaving the shorter native seedlings unharmed.

Year Two (2021)
During the spring of the second year, the site will be mowed with the standing residual vegetation as close to the ground as possible in mid spring, and any cuttings will be raked off. The best time to mow most native plants is when the buds of the Sugar Maple tree (Acer saccharum) begin to break open in spring. This usually will occur sometime between April 1 and May 15, depending the weather in any given year. Mowing in mid spring helps to set back non-native cool season weeds and grasses such as Quackgrass, Bluegrass, and Bromegrass etc. If Biennial weeds such as Sweet Clover, Burdock, and Wild Parsnip etc., appear or are a problem, mowing again in June will occur at approximately 12 inches or when weeds are in full flower.

Year Three and Beyond (2022)
Beginning in the spring of the third year, our pollinator garden will be burned for the first time to maintain its diversity and vigor. Burning in mid-spring will help to set back non-native cool season weeds and grasses such as Quackgrass, Bluegrass, Bromegrass, etc. By waiting until the undesirable plants have initiated spring growth before burning, the fire will destroy their new growth and set them back, favoring the warm season native plants, most of which are dormant under the soil. Burning removes plant litter from the previous year’s growth and exposes the soil surface to the warming rays of the sun. This encourages new plant growth and increases flowering and seed production of native flowers and grasses. As with mowing, the optimal date for burning can vary as much as a month in any given year, due to the differences in weather. We can again use the Sugar Maple trees (Acer saccharum) as an indicator for when it is time to burn once the buds begin to break open in spring. After the third year is complete we will implement a burn plan on a 5 year rotation.

We understand that native seeds will often germinate over a period of two to three years. Some will appear the first year, while others will come up in the second and even third year after the initial planting. Most native perennial flowers and grasses will not begin to flower until their third or fourth full growing season, Patience is a virtue when establishing native plants. In the future our pollinator gardens may appear to be a bit of a “weed patch” the first year or two, but by the third year numerous flowers and grasses should begin blooming and will overtake some weeds. We will be vigilant in monitoring our pollinator gardens for weeds and follow the recommendations for weed control.

Once our pollinator gardens are established, we will continue to host educational field days for the general public to promote awareness and the benefits of pollinators and native plants.