Low-Water Pollinator Border: Native Picks, Spacing, and Seasonal Care

Maintain Your Pollinator Border

A native plant garden is low maintenance, not no maintenance. A little seasonal care keeps your border healthy and beautiful.

Watering New and Established Plants

Your watering habits are important for a drought tolerant garden. During the first growing season, your plants need regular water. Water them deeply once a week if you do not get an inch of rain. This helps them establish strong, deep root systems.

After the first year, your established native plants will need little supplemental water. They are adapted to your climate’s natural rainfall. Only water them during extended periods of drought. When you do water, water deeply and infrequently. This encourages roots to grow deeper in search of moisture. Shallow, frequent watering creates weak, shallow roots.

Seasonal Care Actions

Your garden care changes with the seasons.

• Mulching: Apply a two inch layer of organic mulch, like shredded leaves or pine straw, around your plants. Mulch conserves soil moisture. It also suppresses weeds and enriches the soil as the mulch breaks down. Keep mulch away from the base of the plant stems to prevent rot.
• Spring: Cut back dead stems from the previous year. Be patient. Some plants are slow to show new growth. You can divide crowded perennials in early spring to give them more space.
• Summer: Weed your garden regularly. Weeds compete with your plants for water and light. Some flowers, like Coreopsis, will rebloom if you remove the spent flowers, a process called deadheading.
• Fall and Winter: Do not clean up your garden too much in the fall. Leave the seed heads on plants like Coneflower and Switchgrass. These provide food for birds through the winter. The hollow stems of old plants also provide shelter for overwintering beneficial insects. This approach to winter interest supports wildlife.

Your low-water pollinator border offers many rewards. You will attract beautiful wildlife. You will save water. You will spend less time on garden chores. Watch your garden grow and change. Enjoy the life your new space supports.