Blaze your own Path

View this email in your browser

NOVEMBER 2022

Are you on the Pollinator Pathway?

Help put more green on this Stamford map!

Make your home or business property a pesticide-free corridor of native plants that provide nutrition and habitats for pollinating insects and birds. Even the smallest green spaces, like flower boxes and curb strips, can be a part of the pollinator pathway.

It's easy:

1.) PLANT NATIVE plants, shrubs and trees to support bees, butterflies and birds. The extensive root systems of natives help filter pollutants and prevent soil erosion.

2.) DON'T SPRAY pesticides such as insecticides, herbicides (weed killer) or fungicides. Toxins found in pesticides can be harmful to many beneficial bees and plants.

3.) RETHINK YOUR LAWN and replace grass with plants. Lawns provide little to no habitat. They add fertilizers and pesticides that runoff into wetlands, streams, rivers and the Long Island Sound. Turf grass roots are too shallow to filter storm water.

If you're adhering to these practices, sign up to add your property to the map today! With this pledge you will be creating healthy spaces not only for pollinators, but for other wildlife, pets and families. Learn more about Native Plants, Pesticides, and Rethinking Your Lawn.

Fall is a great time to...

Collect and store seeds from mature plants. Learn more.
Plant native trees and shrubs. See helpful list from Wilton.

Why we need bats after Halloween

Bats eat pest insects and even pollinate flowers. A single bat can consume between 300-3000 undesirable insects (think beetles and mosquitoes!) an hour. A healthy bat population keeps annoying insects away from your yard and garden. To attract these nocturnal creatures, avoid pesticides, protect trees where they roost and consider installing a bat house where they can sleep during the day.

CHESTNUT HILL PARK GROWS

We recently planted Ten Blue Muffin Viburnum shrubs in this park with the assistance of the Stamford Garden Club and the City of Stamford Parks Department. Look for white flowers in early to mid-summer, followed by azure-blue berries in late summer. And listen for the songbirds that are attracted to this shrub.

TIPS FOR GARDENING IN NOVEMBER

Sometimes we can't avoid buying plastic. Start saving plastic containers such as salad, milk, lemonade and candy containers to turn into little greenhouses to winter sow native seeds. Clean out the container and check back in January to learn how to winter sow!

Copyright © 2022 Pollinator Pathway Stamford, All rights reserved.

Our web address is:
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/stamford

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.