What’s in your garden?
Please enjoy this guest article written by Pamela Martin-Diaz, a neighbor in the Harrison Hill Neighborhood.
Why does it matter what kind of plant we grow in our gardens?
Simply put, to support “the little things that run the world” and which keep our world alive
through their ability to disperse seeds and pollinate plants, feed wildlife (like the offspring of the
vast majority of birds) and decompose materials, all of which are critical to the survival of life
on our planet.
And what might those “ little things” be? Invertebrates – insects, caterpillars, and all of their kind.
In order for invertebrates to survive they need food and not just any food – 90% of invertebrates
are plant specialists, only eating or laying eggs on specific plants with which they have evolved.
An example of this are monarchs and milkweed (a misnomer for sure – they should be called
“Monarchs’ Delight.”) No milkweed, no monarchs.
What can a gardener do to support our native species – plant and invertebrate?
Remove invasives like Buckthorn and Burning Bush that crowd out natives and replace them
with beneficial plants, especially those that support multiple species. Refrain from using
insecticides – a fan will blow those mosquitoes away from you. Reduce the size of your yard,
making room for those natives, inviting nature to thrive in your yard and neighborhood.
By making these, as well as other changes, we can promote and protect biodiversity. You are
nature’s best hope!
— Pamela Martin-Diaz
Additional Resources:
Resources
I highly recommend Nature’s Best Hope and all of Prof. Tallamy’s other books, all of which are available at ACPL.
Native plants by zipcode
Planting Guides | Pollinator.org
Homegrown National Park Information
https://homegrownnationalpark.org/
Has resources to spread the word, signs, etc.
More resources on pollinators
https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator-friendly-plant-lists
Purdue University Pollinator Conservation Education
Find Purdue Extension’s resources on pollinator protection at: Pollinator Protection.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources also has a website dedicated to pollinator conservation at: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/pollinator-conservation/. Finally, Indiana State Department of Agriculture lists programs and initiatives promoting pollinator habitat at: ISDA: Pollinator Habitat.
Google Doug Tallamy on Youtube and you will see numerous webinars that are available for free.
My email is pamelamartindiaz@gmail.com. Please get in touch with me if you would like me to do a presentation on native plants, based on Prof. Tallamy’s work.
