Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- April 28, 2009

Home gardeners can do their part to help save the pollinators (:47)

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Suggested Intro:

WHETHER YOU'RE A SEASONED GARDENER OR A NOVICE GREEN THUMB, YOU CAN JOIN THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE HONEYBEES BY PLANTING A POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDEN THIS SPRING. A HORTICULTURIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES CAN TELL YOU HOW. GARY ABDULLAH HAS MORE:

Story:

(:12) BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS ARE STRUGGLING WITH DEADLY CONDITIONS LIKE COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER, SO PENN STATE EXTENSION MASTER GARDENERS LAUNCHED THE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY GARDENING PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATION GARDENS AROUND THE STATE.

(:09) STATE COORDINATOR GINGER PRYOR EXPLAINS THAT PLANTING EVEN A SMALL PLOT WITH THE RIGHT MIX OF FLOWERS CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR THESE VALUED INSECTS :

Pryor Actuality:
(:18) "THEY NEED TO HAVE A GOOD VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF NECTAR TO FEED THEM THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. AND IF THEY'RE ONLY FINDING ONE TYPE OF PLANT OR BIG GAPS IN THE SEASON WHERE THERE ARE NO NECTAR AVAILABLE THEN THEY BECOME WEAK, THEY'RE NOT HEALTHY AND SOME OF THEM MAY DIE."

(:08) FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDENING AND THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM, CONTACT YOUR COUNTY PENN STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE. I'M GARY ABDULLAH.

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Learn more:

"Planting for pollinators: It's the bee's knees" (from the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences news archives/ Penn State Live)

The Master Gardener Program at Penn State

 

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