Bring native bees and other pollinating creatures to your garden. One way to do this is by selecting the right plants. Need ideas?
- Find a beauty or two from this list of plants that attract butterflies and plants that attract hummingbirds.
- Learn more about native bees (the super-pollinators!) and make a native bee house (much like a birdhouse!). Or, see how to make a bee-friendly garden habitat including bee-friendly plants.
- Here are more ways you can help pollinators in your backyard.
Stop Pesticides and Chemicals in the Garden
Most of the beginner gardeners whom we meet want to start growing without chemicals or pesticides—in a way that works and even saves money. Much of this is simply about focusing less on the plant and more on the health of the soil that supports the plant. If it’s nutrient-rich with organic matter, plants thrive.
- See how to use organic soil amendments to turn your poor garden soil into a nutrient-rich paradise in which plants will thrive.
- You don’t need chemicals to get rid of pesky garden pests: Companion planting, natural remedies, and attracting predators to your garden can save you money and also save your plants. See how to control pests in the organic garden.
- Some bugs are good for the garden! Here’s a list of some of the best beneficial insects to have in your gardening space, with pictures and tips for attracting them.
- It’s easy to use an organic plant fertilizer—made from just weeds and water. Does it sound strange to make plant fertilizer by using other plants? This is how nature works! Here’s a simple recipe for DIY organic fertilizer—without using chemicals or animal waste—right from your garden!
- Gardening and farming methods such as not tilling the soil, growing cover crops during the off-season, and rotating crops (and grazing) help to retain organic materials in the soil.
- Here are tips on organic seed-starting and our Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening to get you started.