with Kim Eierman
Ask EcoBeneficial!
Helpful answers to readers' questions. Go ahead – just ask EcoBeneficial
Question:
I have a pollinator friendly garden in Maryland and I see very few pollinators this year. No butterflies. Only bumble bees. Have you noticed the same?
Answer:
Things are not good for pollinators this year in the Northeast. I have seen relatively few pollinators and virtually no butterflies. I am getting similar reports from numerous people in various states in the Northeast from Massachusetts to Washington DC.
It’s hard to say exactly what is happening this year, beyond the ongoing insect apocalypse!…
Question:
I am thinking about adding the serviceberry Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ to my landscape. I realize that it is a cultivar of a naturally occurring hybrid of Amelanchier laevis & Amelanchier arborea. Will this plant be a good source for pollinators & birds?
Answer:
Our native serviceberry species provide a useful early nectar and pollen resource in April for early-emerging pollinators. The fruit that follows in June is loved by many fruit-eating birds and humans alike….
Question:
My neighbors are constantly blowing leaves off their yard. Besides being noisy and annoying, I know it’s not good for the environment. How can I convince them to stop?
Answer:
Leaf blowing has become an obsession in America. At this time of year, in the fall, the relentless hum of leaf blowers is not only disturbing, but highly destructive to our landscapes. Instead of valuing leaves as part of natural ecosystems, many people have learned to treat leaves like toxic waste – something to quickly clear away and cart to some other location. …
Question:
We have quite a bit of Jimsonweed in a garden within a public park that our organization maintains. Using RoundUp is out of the question. Are there any ways to remove it organically?
Answer:
Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) is an introduced weed, often classified as a noxious weed or an invasive plant, depending on the state. It is a prolific annual that can produce as many as 30,000 seeds per plant. For more details on the plant,…
Question:
What are the benefits of Jimsonweed? Are there any virtues to this plant? It seems to be a common, aggressive, but interesting “weed.” I’d like to keep some of it and mix with other beneficial plants in the New York area.
Answer:
I think that all plants have some virtue, but are always best sited in their native range. Even Japanese Knotweed has some virtues – in Japan. New York beekeepers often tell me how great the late-season nectar of Japanese Knotweed is for their honey bees….
Question:
Is organic fertilizer harmful to pollinators, especially my fave, bumble bees? My husband bought this stuff and I don’t know if it is harmful to bees, or not. I want to help save our precious pollinators.
Answer:
Thank you for keeping bumble bees in mind in your vegetable garden. Note that tomato plants are self-fertile, but their pollination will be far more successful with the assistance of bumble bees – resulting in more fruit for you to enjoy. Bumble bees are incredibly effective pollinators of tomato plants,…
Question:
I have a couple beds of Ninebarks and Viburnums and they’ve been there about two or three years. So I’m thinking it’s time to create a living mulch around them. Can you recommend a few plants for ground cover that have ecological benefits, and will fill in around these shrubs? I live in south central Illinois.
Answer:
You are a step ahead of many gardeners by contemplating living mulch ground covers instead of an endless expanse of shredded bark or wood chips. …
Question:
What are some native, deer-resistant flowering perennials for wet meadows in the Northeast?
Answer:
As you likely know, no plant is deer bomb-proof. In the absence of adequate forage, deer will browse just about anything. Young fawns and does may nibble on plants that make them sick, as they have not yet figured out the menu.
Here are some typically deer-resistant, native flowering perennials suitable for wet meadows or landscapes with moist to wet soils. Make sure that your deer get this list!…
Question:
I understand that berries of some winterberry cultivars may be too big for birds and may have less nutrition. Should I buy winterberry cultivars? I am in Maryland and have not seen the straight species anywhere. Will deer browse winterberry?
Answer:
I prefer to use straight species plants whenever possible, thinking that Mother Nature really does know best and provides the best resources. We lose some genetic diversity when we rely upon cultivars and favor our own aesthetic tastes. Sometimes our selections (i.e….