Archive for the pollen tag
How to choose plants that promote pollinators in the garden
MSU Extension:
Pollinators are looking for nectar and pollen when foraging in your garden. This is their food, the carbohydrates and protein they need to thrive and produce offspring. Native bees will widely feed on many different types of flowering plants in your landscape and garden.
Think about “serving” up a menu of blooms in early spring through fall. Choose a wide range of flowering plants including annuals, herbaceous perennials and native plants, bulbs, trees and shrubs that are known to support pollinator health. Early blooming plants such as spring bulbs or Pachysandra, or very late bloomers such as Sedum or Anemone are often the most needed food sources for pollinators since there are fewer floral resources available during those times.
Avoiding autumn allergies in the garden
WSJ:
People hoping that the approach of autumn will mean fewer allergies, may want to prepare for some sneezing with their leaf-raking.
For many people, allergic reactions go into overdrive late summer and into fall because pollen counts soar. Mold counts rise, too, thanks largely to wet leaves sitting on the ground, a terrific breeding situation for mold spores.
While many popular garden plants are insect-pollinated—often with showy flowers that attract pollinators, and bearing heavier, stickier pollen grains—it is the wind-pollinated plants that cause the most problems for allergy sufferers, says Susan Littlefield, horticulturist for the National Gardening Association.