National Pollinator Month – Protecting our Food Supply

National Pollinator Week/Month is little known but very important. TurfMutt Foundation is attempting to correct this situation and bring greater awareness to the work pollinators do and how important it is to provide for the needs of these creatures, who in turn, provide for our food. Read on for additional information and suggestions for activities.

June is National Pollinators Month and June 22-28 is designated as “National Pollinator Week.” Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S Department of the Interior, Pollinator Week is a great opportunity to encourage people to do more in their backyards to support pollinators. (See more below)

Since the family yard is now the safe outdoor space to relax, play and de-stress, especially during these challenging times when so many are sheltering at home  this is a great time to be aware of pollinators and to encourage them.  Here are more suggestions from TurfMutt Foundation  who reminds families that nature starts right outside your back door – and one way to help nature is to make sure your yard supports our very-important pollinators. The TurfMutt Foundation has developed an infographic on planting for pollinators

For more information,

 National Pollinators Month in June encourages the planting of pollinator gardens of native, non-invasive pollen and nectar-producing plants. When these gardens bloom, they attract bees, birds, bats, and other natural pollinators.

Plant It for the Planet

Choose Flowering Plants for Pollinators – butterflies, bees, bats and hummingbirds

Backyards, school yards, green roofs, parks, planted medians and other green spaces provide food and shelter for pollinators

Select flowering plants that thrive in your yard’s conditions, considering the following: climate zone, soil type, sun/shade ratio, and average rainfall

Plant a healthy balance of grasses, garden flowers, shrubs, and trees

75 percent of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators to reproduce

About 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat exists because of pollinators 

More than 3,500 species of native bees help increase crop yields

For more information, go to www.turfmutt.com

Photos: Courtesy of turfmutt unless otherwise noted.