Importance of pollination: Role of Insects and bees

Nature is wonderful. It has arranged for mechanisms that are beyond human comprehension. Pollination is one such process whereby plants are helped by insects, butterflies, birds and bees to reproduce and grow fruits. One can see evolution shaping and coloring flowers and plants to be more attractive to birds and bees. Insects and bees seek honey and carry the pollen grains from one plant to another. Without this, there would be no pollination, no fruiting and no vegetables growing in our kitchen garden.

While pollination occurs in a natural way, one can enhance the process. These simple steps will ensure increased yield. Timely pollination helps fruiting process to complete within the season. Some steps you can take are given below.

a) Grow bright colored flowers

b) Clump flowering plants

c) Grow your plants in shady and undisturbed spots

d) Choose your plants well

Bees are attracted to bright color especially the color purple. When you plant more flowers bees spend more time in your garden. This increases the rate of pollination and hence you get more fruit. Some bright colored flowering plants you can use in your garden are given here.

i) alliums

ii) catmint

iii) lavender

iv) bluebells

v) rosemary

vi) daffodil

vii) comfrey

viii) foxgloves

1. Keep plants away from garden path
2. Use many attractive flowering plants
3. Shelter your plants from winds

When plants are bunched together, they attract more bees and insects. The insects and bees do not have to fly far to get to the next plant. Moreover, you can plant flowers alongside vegetables so that bees visit them more often. Most gardeners love this arrangement since it also results in saving space and effort.

If plants are present in windy zones, there is less chance for a visit by bees. Bees prefer shady nooks and sheltered spots where there is no disturbances. Bees and insects will also nest in these spots if there are hollow stems or adequate leaf cover in tall branches. Maintain garden soil in pristine condition using fertilizers. Use many plants that bear flowers of different colors.

Actually most garden plants are conducive to pollination by bees. You can add some that bees and insects particularly like. You can also plant herbs that insects and bees like.

a) Plum

b) Tomato

c) Carrot

d) Apple

e) String beans

You can plant flowers alongside to help attract more insects and bees. Some of them are given below.

i) Fennel

ii) Red hot poker

iii) Sunflower

iv) Lion’s tail

v) Butterfly bush

Insects and bees are gardener’s best friend. They do what the gardener cannot do, make fruits by pollination. For this reason, many gardens will also have a bird bath or bird house so that birds will also help in the pollination process. Follow this simple step and achieve wizardry in the art of gardening.