Pollinators in the Garden, Saturday, July 24, 2021

Gallucci Learning Garden is being very productive this summer. We have summer squash, cucumbers, onions, rhubarb and blueberries. There are a few tomatoes, but they are coming on slowly. We believe the success is due to improving our soil, and also to making the garden a welcome place for pollinators, especially bees.

We have homes for Mason and Leafcutter bees, and there is an abundance of bumble bees. These pollinators are crucial to the production of both cucumbers and squash. We planted a variety of flowers to purposefully attract and keep the bees. One thing we are trying this year is to let some of our broccoli flower because we see it covered with bees. We also let our spring collard greens flower to collect seed. There are sunflowers and other annual and perennial varieties of flowers. We also have a large bird bath with a solar sprayer that attracts a wide range of birds, bees and insects.