Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
1–10 of 214 posts
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#2Another good resource for those interested: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/tallamys-hub-1
I'm not affiliated, just have high regard for Tallamy's work.
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#3After getting a house with a decent sized yard and trees, I have been having a lot of fun with planting native plants. While my neighbors are cutting down trees, which is honestly hard to watch, and paying landscapers to plant non-native plants, I'm spending a lot of time researching and planting native plants. It is honestly one of the more fulfilling things to walk outside and see all sorts of bees, butterflies, moths, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, and birds living their lives. They all work so hard that it is inspiring. I'm looking forward to spring again for this exact reason.
I sort of disagree with the article though. I think one should actually take a relatively hardline approach to planting only native plants. Just because you have a lot of activity around a plant doesn't mean it's the right activity. You could be attracting non-regional and non-native species which is generating the activity.
And honestly, native plant species are easy. If you plant them in the right place, they will grow very easily and strongly with minimal care. Then you can collect their seeds. I am really hoping that all the milkweed we're planting brings more monarchs. Last year, we saw a couple.
I like Douglas Tallamy's books Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope.
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#4I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.)
Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the idea that they need to save the world through bee hives. Just resist the urge, unless you have time and willingness to do proper beekeeping.
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#5After getting a house with a decent sized yard and trees, I have been having a lot of fun with planting native plants. While my neighbors are cutting down trees, which is honestly hard to watch, and paying landscapers to plant non-native plants, I'm spending a lot of time researching and planting native plants. It is honestly one of the more fulfilling things to walk outside and see all sorts of bees, butterflies, mo…
I think you're right about the natives and the 'right kind' of activity.
Native species, especially the ones at risk, are more likely to be specialists. And of course, they specialize in the native plants.
Invasive species, on the other hand, are more likely to be generalists. That's why they become invasive in the first place. And they'll be happy to visit those non-native plants.
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#6i always do it with my refrigerator
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#7We replaced our front yard with native plants and I love it. Plan to do this with my back yard as soon as I can afford it. I specifically chose a house in a part of our city with no HOA because I don't ever want to go back to monoculture of grass. Such a waste of space.
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#8I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…
So the idea with the bee home is the bees come to me? As opposed to me buying honeybees and a hive? I'm asking out of genuine ignorance not trolling, as I'd love to have bees by my planter box, but I don't have the time to be a bee keeper and and don't want to kill the little guys.
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#9I suggest to add a bee home (bee house, bee hotel) to your garden. It is simple, last several years, it can be as small as a bird house, and can be a fun weekend project with the kids. (It can also be purchased.) Please, do not get honey bees, unless willing to take care of them - just like with any animal husbandry. I love them, I am a beek, but I find too many abandoned or swarms from people who bought into the ide…
Exactly, better have some sweat fruit trees (figs, persimmons, apricots, ...) and other wild pollinators (wild bees, wasps, butterflies, .. even ants pollinate)
Re: Turn your backyard into a biodiversity hotspot
#10I've always had a dream to buy a plot of land and homestead. But I have family that is getting older and needs my help more often. The though of being far away from essential services like Hospitals is not ideal. Also I'm still too early in my career to make that move.
So, more recently I've been thinking of an idea I call "urban homesteading", which is just based off the idea of not waiting until the perfect circumstances to start something. Nothing about living in the suburbs prevents me from doing like 80% of what I would do homesteading. I can still...
1. Can/Preserve/Dehydrate/Vacuum seal Food
2. Build up a supply of essential non perishable food
3. Grow food I can eat in a garden
4. Build things with the materials I have instead of buying them
5. Fix and repair old stuff I have instead of buying new stuff
6. Reduce my reliance on City Water, Electricity, Gas, while still enjoying the benefits
Sure I might not have the most space or privacy having neighbors on all sides but so what. I don't have a big backyard, but I don't really need one as there is a large park 3 minutes from my front door that I can walk to. Other than enough space for a small deck and grill I can devote the rest of my backyard to a garden. I'm slowly building up towards this, but I'm starting slowly so that it isn't overwhelming