Everyday should be Earth Day. We should celebrate earth day everyday by giving back and doing what you can. Plant a flower for a bee, start using a reusable bottle, or reducing waste. Whatever your fancy, it’s the small steps that count. When you do your part, the entire Earth benefits.
Dandelions are one of natures most important flowers. They provide one of the first foods in Spring to many pollinating creatures such as bees and other animals. Dandelions are also considered an herb and are an edible plant. The leaves can be cooked or made into a tea, which provide a number of health benefits.* I can’t stress enough how important bees are. They need to eat too after all, so that in return our fruits and vegetables can be pollinated.
So take a minute to remember, herbicides and pesticides are the worst thing you can do for your yard. Dandelions are sometimes considered a “pest” and a “weed” because they grow in the cracks of driveways and pathways.
A very simple way to get rid of them without using herbicides is to hand pull them. A little work goes a long way. There is no need to spray chemicals, which harm the environment, humans, and can kill important pollinators, such as bees. Plus, they look so beautiful blooming en masse in fields of grass.
As we move from Winter to Spring, I just want to remind everyone of the importance these beautiful flowers have on our environment. Every year I watch dandelions bloom in the field in my backyard and every year I revel in the beauty and sight of these underappreciated flowers. Dandelions can bring a little sunshine into anyone’s life, so enjoy them while they bloom.
I’m a little peeved. I was driving down my street a couple of weeks ago and noticed all the beautiful wildflowers and grass was cut all along the sides of the street. This may be insignificant to most people, but to me, it’s a really big deal because of all the milkweed and flowers growing there. It’s extremely important to have milkweed around because Monarch butterflies use them to lay eggs and it’s the only food source for the caterpillars after they hatch. Monarchs are not only pollinators, they are also an indicator species, which help gauge the health of the environment around them and us.
There are a number of reasons why towns and cities cut down roadside weeds, however, I think it’s extremely unnecessary in some cases, especially on a quite street like mine. Weeds are cut down to improve visibility, drainage, or to get rid of invasive weeds. There is a whole list of reasons. The problem is cutting down beneficial weeds, like milkweed, which is extremely important to the environment. Milkweed grows on a lot of roadsides in my area. In my opinion, the weeds on my street weren’t extremely overgrown and could have been cut a month from now, when it gets cooler and there aren’t as many bugs around. My town hasn’t touched them since mid Spring, if I recall correctly.
Right now, it’s especially important to conserve areas with milkweed and wildflowers because late summer and early fall is migration time for Monarchs and a time when other beneficial insects start preparing for winter. So far, I’ve only seen one Monarch this summer and that’s really sad. They’ve been declining and it’s so important to keep them around.
I follow the NRDC (National Resource Defense Council) on Facebook. They have some really important info on environmental issues, endangered species, and a whole list of other important causes.My info and updates about Monarchs comes mostly from them. Below is a couple of helpful links and info on Monarchs:
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/sylvia-fallon/keep-calm-and-plant-milkweed
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/peter-lehner/fight-save-butterflies
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Invertebrates/Monarch-Butterfly.aspx
I’ve spotted a ton of honey bees all around my flowers and vegetable garden this summer. They’ve helped me with a great deal of pollination and I now have some awesome vegetables because of their hard work. Bees are so important to have and I’m happy about the amount of bees I have around my garden.
I have a special place in my heart for the little buzzers. I grew up with a fascination for bees and wasps. They’ve always intrigued me and I’ve never been afraid of them. I have a great respect for bees. They hold so much power in their tiny bodies and do such a great service to human kind. They are definitely an underappreciated insect.
I found a cool article this morning in the April 2016 issue of Better Homes and Gardens about pollinators and the flowers they love. The article is called Winging It by Karen Weir-Jimerson. My favorite insect is bees, so I loved how the article shows the importance of them. I know it’s strange to love a stinging insect that most people fear, but I’ve always had a fascination with those little bugs. They do so much for our world and are so unappreciated. Every time I plant a flower, my goal is to attract bees and butterflies. I usually don’t buy flowers unless they do attract them. A bee and butterfly garden is the most beautiful thing you can create. It’s so easy too. It’s as simple as throwing a bunch of wildflower seeds on the ground and letting them grow into beautiful colors. So, the next time you decide to plant a flower, think of the little guys you’re providing food for.
GarlicBaby 