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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Insect diversity (Was: Re: SynergisticAgriculture)

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  • From: "E. E. Mitchamore Jr" <emitch@att.net>
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Insect diversity (Was: Re: SynergisticAgriculture)
  • Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 10:45:40 -0500

OK, good.  Can you provide further clarification/emphasis?
 
1) With regard to native beneficial insects and pollinators, are native plants mandatory, or will non-native, well-adapted plants be as beneficial?  That would expand the options considerably.
 
2) You specified "flowering" plants.  Are there additional guidelines?  For example, I would not expect a hybrid bred for appearance to appeal to insects as much as to humans.
 
And one comment:  Since Spring is so busy, I can't often decide where to make beds or plant flowers (sun/shade/ wet/dry).  I have been quickly potting perennials in containers and setting them in a "likely spot".  If they appear to need more sun or shade, I move them.  Then I let them go to seed.  I have new flowers popping up all over my 4 acres and beyond, spread by wind and birds.  If it's not a good spot, they die.  If it's good, they flourish.  If they're in the way, they get stepped-on or whacked.  So far, I've introduced at least 20 perennials to my land that are native to Central Texas, but were not found here before.  Easy & works well.
 
E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
www.hillcountrynatives.biz
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 7:53 AM
Subject: [Livingontheland] Insect diversity (Was: Re: SynergisticAgriculture)

>
> So, is there anything to be done to promote native (to each specific area) beneficials and pollinators, other than the often-mentioned diversity of native "host plants"?
>
> E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore

In my experience, that's pretty much it: Ensure as wide a variety of
flowering plants (different flower architectures, from tiny to large) at
all points in the growing season (early spring to late fall). You can
get as detailed as you like about matching specific plants with the
insects they support, but I don't usually have the time for that. I just
keep as many types of plants flowering all over our place (more and more
all the time), and enjoy the throngs of insects that come to them.

Remember you have plenty of nooks and crannies you can use to boost
insect diversity. For example, you can't grow most annual vegetable
crops in the shade of your fruit trees. However, there are plenty of
flowering plants (e.g., the pycanthemum type mints or "mountain mints")
which can grow with some shade, boosting insect diversity for adjacent
areas.

~Harvey

--
Harvey in northern Va
www.themodernhomestead.us

Healing the wounds of the Earth and its people does not require
saintliness or a political party. It is not a liberal or conservative
activity. It is a sacred act.  ~Paul Hawken

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