I'm a beginner gardener in south Louisiana, focusing on growing vegetables and some herbs. Recently, I learned how important pollinators are for my plants, especially zucchini, so I decided to add flowers to attract bees. I consulted ChatGPT for the best flowers for my zone and have planted zinnias, lavender trailing lantana, yellow coneflowers, blue salvia, 'beebright' pink pintas, and purple heathers. However, it's been days and I haven't seen a single bee or butterfly, even with outdoor time at various hours. We do have dragonflies and wasps nearby, but no signs of pollinators. Any tips on how to attract bees to my garden? I'm starting to think I might have to hand pollinate, but I'm not very confident in that!
2 Answers
Bees can be sensitive to temperature, especially if it gets too hot. When temps go over 90°F, they tend to be more focused on cooling their hives rather than foraging. Maybe try to check during cooler parts of the day or even plant some flowers that bloom in the cooler months. Keep an eye out, and you might get some visitors!
Have you thought about adding a water source? Pollinators need water just like we do, and having a shallow dish or bee watering station can help attract them. Just make sure the water isn’t standing so you don’t attract mosquitoes. A hummingbird feeder can be a great alternative! Just be patient; bees need time to learn where to find food and drink.
Thank you! I love the hummingbird feeder idea since standing water is a problem around here. I'm excited to try it out!
Thanks for the info! I didn't realize temperature impacted their activity. I'll do some more observing during the cooler times.