Pollination

Considering that about 80% of our flowering plants need to be pollinated so they can reproduce and that these plants include approximately 75% of the crops people harvest and eat around the world, how would you solve the dilemma of pollination?
Some plants are pollinated by animals known as pollinators. Pollination is the act of taking pollen from one plant or part of a plant to another so that new plant seeds can be produced.
Plants and pollinators evolved side by side over millions of years. Most plants need pollinators. The plants evolved and developed many ways of attracting pollinators. Pollinators evolved with specialized traits and behaviors that enhance their pollination efforts. Each plant and pollinator usually gains a benefit from pollination.
Some pollinators I will list here:
Flower nectar provides bees with the sugar to fuel their flights. The proteins and amino acids in pollen are vital nutrients needed by young bee larvae back in the nest. Bees are not picky and frequently visit a large variety of flowers.
Do you know why some bees buzz? Some plants like tomatoes and blueberries release their pollen through two tiny pores in each anther. Bees bite the anthers, hold on tight, and buzz to shake the pollen out of the flowers. Bumblebees are living tuning forks, using a middle C tone to propel thousands of pollen grains from a flower in under a second.
Less elegant than other pollinators, beetles trundle along through delicate blossoms searching for food or a mate. Beetles frequently visit magnolias and flowers close to the ground.
Butterflies often visit round flowers with flared petals that lead to narrow throats that conceal nectar. Butterflies land on the wide petals, then delicately probe the flower’s nectary (the gland that produces nectar) with their long proboscis (tongue). Butterflies frequently visit Salvias and sunflowers.
“Why are there flies?” you might annoyedly ask. Some flies visit sweet-smelling flowers. Others have more disgusting tastes. They are attracted to flowers with putrid odors, meat-like colors, or fur-like textures that lure them in by pretending to be the fresh dung of dead animals that flies desire. Flies frequently visit Dutchman’s pipe, pawpaw, and some Viburnums.
The long, thin bill and tongue of a hummingbird allows it to reach the nectar hidden deeply in tubular flowers. Hummingbirds frequently visit beebalm and honeysuckle.
Mostly active at night, moths go unnoticed even though they outnumber butterflies 10 to 1. Also, most are dull in appearance. Night-blooming flowers have sweet scents and white- or cream-colored blossoms that reflect the moonlight to attract moths after the sun sets. Moths frequently visit four o’clocks, moonflowers, and tobacco.
Wind pollinates grains, most nuts, many trees, and the wild grasses that provide forage for livestock. The odds are small that a pollen grain will find its way to a corn silk, but each kernel of corn is a tiny fruit resulting from successful wind pollination.
About 80 percent of wild plants require insects for pollination, as do 75 percent of our crops. But recent studies have found that insect biomass, abundance, and diversity have dropped by between 20 and 75 percent over a range of ecosystems during the last few decades. A comprehensive, global scientific review of the insect crisis, published in 2019, blames the loss on the destruction of natural habitat, pesticide use, introduced species, and climate change. The loss of bees has been well documented in the media; less well known is the plight of other pollinators, including butterflies.
– Bryan Payton, The Butterfly Redemption, Hakai Magazine.
You can help pollinator populations in your area. If you have a garden, you can buy a bee box to put in it. Bee boxes provide homes for solitary bees, and a place for them to lay their eggs safely. You can also make your own bee homes by bundling sticks and twigs from your garden together and leaving them in piles.
Bees like flowers with easy access to pollen, so plant flowers that have large open petals, instead of tiny buds.
Most importantly, you can choose not to use pesticides. They are harmful to pests, but they also hurt helpful pollinators like bees.
We can’t live without pollinators, so we all need to help protect them.
What to plant in April
The etymology behind the word “April” comes from the verb “aperire,” which means “to open.” It’s commonly believed that the word refers to the season of trees and flowers beginning to open or bloom.
From now through mid-June, when the rainy season begins, the weather is hotter and drier. The viveros now will have Lantana, Portulaca and baby’s breath. Don’t forget Aztec lily, Agapanthus, and daylilies, which are things that also do well all year ‘round. Start forget-me-nots, Nemesia for borders and containers, and Osteospermum (Star of the Veldt), with its long blooming and colorful daisy-like flowers. It is now time to start eggplant, pepper and tomato seeds in flats or pots for later transplanting, as well as to put lettuce seeds into the garden. Remember that you have to protect your young seedlings from the intense heat and sun and to water them faithfully until the rains begin. Deadhead and water regularly. Pruning is an on-going process here and encourages new growth. It’s a good time to consider cacti and succulents.
Wait until the end of the month to sow or transplant vegetables and fruits that prefer very warm weather to mature, including beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, peppers, pumpkins, and squash.
The weather from now through June is ideal for planting citrus, avocados, and other tender trees such as kiwis, kumquats, and pomegranates. For growing in containers, be sure to choose dwarf varieties. For the best choice in citrus, look for trees with many strong branches, a smooth graft union, and deep green leaves.
To temper the drying and heating effect of the sun mulch the soil, especially with organic matter such as leaves or grass clippings, and irrigation will be more effective with less frequency and quantity. Digging compost and animal manure into your garden soil will help to improve the texture as well as furnish valuable nutrients.
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