Creating a Pollinator Paradise & Increasing Beneficial Habitat

Let’s talk about bugs and flowers. Butterflies, bees, and everything in between.

First, picture this: You have your first home, the landscape is overgrown, you have no idea what is what because you grew up in the concrete of the city. You decide it is best to clear it all out before winter sets in and see what happens in the spring. Over the winter you do what you can to learn about the land and what plants might grow and thrive in the area. When spring finally arrives, you discover that there are established flower beds and so begins the process of learning, absorbing and applying the information you’ve acquired. In your research, you frequently come across articles about rapidly declining pollinator populations. This intrigues you and you begin to think; How can you help, what can you do, you are located right in the middle of the monoculture farming industry?! You start a flower farm.

Hello, my name is Alyssa Jones and I am the owner of Exit 44 Flowers & More, a seasonal flower farm located 20 miles south of Fargo. When I started this farm in 2021 with the help of my husband, Dan, I knew I wanted to create a space not only for ourselves and our community to enjoy but also a space for the wildlife in our area to thrive, and yes that even includes bugs.

In my research I discovered the best way I could help our pollinator friends was to make sure I had three things blooming during each season. On top of that, I needed to have a wide variety of blooms, as different pollinators are attracted to different flowers. The same applies to our beneficial insect friends. With those things in mind, the process of building a pollinator paradise began. I started several different annuals and perennials from seeds like yarrow, eryngium, zinnias, cosmos, etc. We also planted clover pathways instead of grass, this not only helps to rebuild the farm’s soil structure but also requires less mowing therefore creating a perfect place for pollinators to come and enjoy. 

It didn’t take long that first season for the bees and butterflies to find the farm as they were already attracted to the existing flower beds filled with perennials like phlox, heliopsis, and daylilies. I would come to find sleepy bees, basically intoxicated from all the pollen and nectar they could find within the flowers. I would gently place them on another bloom or leaf of a plant if they happen to be on a flower I needed to harvest. The cutest thing is to find them inside of a bloom that is just beginning to open, like the cosmos. Some pollinators were pretty stealthy and made it inside of my home where I would simply take the flower they were enjoying and give it a subtle shake outside into one of my veggie planters. 

During the second season of flower farming, I noticed a large increase in pollinators. I believe this can be attributed to a couple of things. First, the farm was receiving consistent moisture compared to the previous year where it was experiencing drought-like conditions. Second, I increased the spring blooms around the farm by planting several bulbs like crocus, tulips, and daffodils the previous fall. That summer was incredible, each time I went out to harvest I felt as if I had entered a scene from a movie; several butterflies and a few hummingbird moths enjoying the zinnia patches, as well as the volunteer milkweed plants. All types of bees love plants like eryngium, mint, oregano, and of course, cosmos. I’ll never forget one particular evening going out to harvest, it was near dusk and I had a few more flower buckets to fill. I walked out to the field to discover the most magical sight, hundreds of dragonflies flying around my field of flowers. 

Amongst all the growth and beauty of that second season, tragedy struck and we suffered an aphid invasion right at the end of the season which carried into the third year of flower farming.

One of the values I hold at the farm is absolutely no spraying, ever. Even if it’s ‘organic’, as organic sprays can still harm pollinators and beneficial insects alongside the pests you are trying to eradicate. Instead of spraying pesticides, I release beneficial insects. On our farm, this includes ladybugs, lacewings, and predatory mites. I am also in the process of increasing habitat for those beneficial bugs by planting more yarrow, alyssum, dill, cilantro and letting it bolt from the heat of summer as ladybugs love cilantro flowers. Even if I am not dealing with pest pressure, I am creating a space for those beneficial bugs to appreciate and call home. Other things I am trying include placing a few rocks here and there so bugs that are not active during the day have a place to hide while the sun is up, like beetles. I’ve added a bird bath with plans to add more throughout the farm to encourage more birds to visit.  I am continually working on adding more trap crops near the flowers, like calendula, that I know pests love to devour.

Flower farming is a constant learning process every year. I am always analyzing what worked and what didn’t work and asking myself questions like: Do I need to bring in more bugs? Should I plant more trap crops or flowers I know beneficial bugs and pollinators can enjoy? Are we in a drought? What about those Canadian wildfires, how are they affecting the bugs? 

At the end of day all that matters is that I am continually trying. I’m doing my best to create a beautiful place for humans and wildlife to enjoy together. I’m always eager to share what I’ve learned with the community. I firmly believe that if we all try together, we could create something magical. I encourage you to plant more flowers, even if it’s just in a pot on your apartment balcony, that is where I started. I encourage you to decrease and eliminate pesticide use. I encourage you to let your yards go wild with the buzz of happy pollinators. If we don’t try, what will become of the world we know?