Beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, lacewings, ground beetles, dragonflies, spiders, and ladybugs are an essential part of any healthy ecosystem. These tiny friends are responsible for pollinating plants and preying on destructive insects such as sap hungry aphids.
Unfortunately, the future of beneficial insects is currently threatened. Habitat loss, introduced diseases, the spread of parasites, and worst of all, the widespread use of pesticides are causing populations to dwindle worldwide. In fact, it's estimated that more than 30% of honeybee hives in the US have been lost to Colony Collapse Disorder since 2006 - and many keepers have reported a decline between 60% and 90% over the past few years.
However, you can support these critically important bugs by attracting them to your organic herb garden! Not only will growing these colorful and fragrant plants set your patch abuzz with insects, your yield will increase and you'll have an abundant supply of pesticide-free, homegrown herbs to use for food, spices, teas, and medicine throughout the year. No garden space? Many of these plants can be easily grown outside in pots too.
We offer many of these herb seeds to help get your garden growing!
Some great resources to check out if you're inspired to plant a bug-happy garden include, Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung, The Medicinal Herb Grower by Richo Cech, Herbal Remedy Gardens by Dorie Byers, and Growing & Using Herbs Successfully by Betty E.M. Jacobs.
And don't forget your Pesticide-Free garden sign to help get the message buzzing in your community!
