How to attract butterflies and bees

Q. What can I plant to attract pollinators to my garden?

A. This is a great question as our pollinator populations are on the decline. This may be due to habitat loss, misuse of pesticides and the spread of invasive species. Planting pollinator-friendly plants is essential and the best part is they will attract such beauties as butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. All of these pollinators are key to the reproductive process.

Any size garden can attract pollinators from a large flower bed to a single planter with a few select pollinators. Be sure to choose nectar and pollen-rich plants. I recommend you plant clumps of the same flower rather than a single plant as pollinators are drawn to mass plantings when looking for a place to feed. Your pollinators will also love a never-ending bloom cycle that includes annuals, perennials and shrubs. This ensures the pollinators have a steady food source throughout the growing seasons.

Bees love bright white, yellow or blue flowers with a pleasant odor. Butterflies are attracted to bright red and purple flowers with a light fresh smell. Hummingbirds love scarlet, orange, red or white tubular-shaped flowers with very little to no odor.

Following are some pollinator-loving plants that are easily found in nurseries in our area.

• For bees: Allium, aster, alyssum, bee balm, blanket flower, cosmos, wild geranium, goldenrod, hyssop, lavender, lupine, poppy, verbena and zinnia.

• For butterflies: Bee balm, butterfly bush, cosmos, day lily, dianthus, goldenrod, liatris, marigold, nasturtium, phlox, purple coneflower, Shasta daisy, verbena, yarrow and zinnia.

• For hummingbirds: Ajuga, bee balm, bleeding heart, butterfly weed, canna, cardinal flower, cleome, fuchsia, wild geranium, gladiolus, impatiens, iris, lantana, liatris, penstemon, petunia, phlox, salvia, sweet william, verbena and zinnia.

Many pollinators also enjoy herbs such as basil, dill, fennel, mint, oregano, rosemary and sage. And, in an effort to bring back more Monarchs, be sure to plant some common milkweed. Milkweed is the primary food source for the Monarch larvae (caterpillar).

Keep in mind also that pollinators need water. Consider adding a bird bath or small water garden to act as a water source for your pollinators.

Plant a pollinator-friendly garden and you will be rewarded throughout the growing season with the sights and sounds of many a pollinator.

- Wendy Reiner

Q. I planted mums last fall, but they don't appear to have survived the winter. What happened? What other perennials can add color to my fall garden?

A. Don't give up on mums because you had one loss! Chrysanthemums have become a staple in my perennial garden. I have planted and divided a few healthy specimens many times over. They brighten up Midwest autumn gardens, and need a minimum of care. Here are some basics to keep in mind when planting mums:

• Select hardy mums that are meant to be grown outdoors. Mums on display at florists and grocery stores in the autumn are generally not intended for outdoor gardens. Although mums bloom in the autumn, it's best to plant and divide mums in the spring. To increase the likelihood of mums surviving the winter, be sure to plant them by the beginning of August, so they have a few months to set their roots before a hard frost occurs.

• Ensure plants have plenty of sunshine, and good drainage. In our Midwest gardens, remove flower buds until mid-July to ensure that blooms develop and open during September and October. If you do not pinch buds it will not harm the plant, but many varieties will begin blooming in August with most flowers spent long before autumn sets in. If you grow a variety of mums that droops under weight of its blooms, consider pinching back growth to keep plants at about 3 inches to 4 inches until mid-July. Pinching growth will promote a tighter growth habit that better supports the weight of blooms.

• Once mums begin to bloom, deadhead spent flowers to make room for additional blooms to shine through.

• Cut down mum plants in the spring versus the fall so that plants are protected by the dried plant material over the harsh winter months. Protecting mums with a bit of mulch over the winter is also helpful.

Adding organic material to your perennial garden during the spring and fall will provide plants nutrients required to thrive. Additionally you can feed mums with flower fertilizer according to manufacturer's directions up until bloom time. Following these basics should help your chrysanthemums thrive for years to come.

Other perennials that can add both color and interest to your autumn garden include asters, goldenrod, sedums and salvia. Similar to the chrysanthemum, these perennials will thrive if planted by early August so they can establish a healthy root system prior to a hard frost.

- Olga DeSio

Q. I have a mixture of trees, shrubs and perennials to plant. What planting tips should I keep in mind?

A. After a dreary winter working in the garden is a welcome change. Keeping a few basics in mind while planting will increase the likelihood of long term success of your new plants.

• Start with a plan including markings for underground utilities. Keep in mind the size of mature plants in relation to the surroundings. If the plan appears sparse, add annuals and perennials that will not cause a long-term obstruction to trees and shrubs as they mature.

• Prepare the site for new plantings by clearing pre-existing growth. The soil should be slightly moist when clearing and cultivating to avoid damaging the soil structure. Cultivate 12 inches to 18 inches deep, breaking up soil as you go. Repeat the process a second time to thoroughly aerate the soil. Level the garden bed and ensure that the slope will allow for good drainage. It's wise to wait a few weeks for latent weed seeds to sprout so they can be removed before planting.

• Supplement the soil with rich organic material such as compost, peat moss, treated manure or dried shredded leaves. Adding organics to a new garden bed and then each spring and fall on an ongoing basis will ensure plants continue to have nutrients vital to their health.

• While in containers, layout plants to ensure you're happy with the design using actual plants selected. Dig holes for woody ornamentals twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball of the plant. Planting perennials either too deep or shallow will compromise their health.

• Spread roots so they are encouraged to grow wide and deep. Score the side and bottom of the root ball if it is tangled or bound.

• After refilling the soil half way up the root ball, thoroughly water the plant. This provides plantings with moisture, settles the soil, and removes air pockets around or beneath the root ball. Be sure plants are straight and level, adjusting their placement before filling in the remaining soil and providing plants with additional water.

• Place 3 inches to 6 inches of mulch around each plant, but do not mound mulch around the plant base. Mulch conserves water and prevents weeds from growing.

• Plantings need a deep watering once a week throughout the growth season. Water more frequently during periods of extreme heat or dry spells.

For more information on planting and gardening tips, visit the University of Illinois Extension website (web.extension.illinois.edu).

- Olga DeSio

• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines. Call (847) 298-3502 or email northcookmg@gmail.com.