TIPStricks

2022 is the Year of the Peperomia Houseplant!

According to the National Garden Bureau, Peperomias have been sold as houseplants since the 1930s. For decades, there were only a handful of varieties to choose from, but with their new popularity and ease of growth, many additional varieties have come to market. The many types of Peperomia can range from bushy to trailing, upright, or cascading, and from fleshy succulent plants to those that are less so. Many Peperomia survive in nature as epiphytes or lithophytes, meaning they grow on other living and non-living things. Because they grow mostly in the understory in the tropics, they don’t need bright light, making them perfect houseplants. Peperomia never want to be in full sun, although the plants with thick, fleshy leaves will need more light than the thinner-leaved, less-succulent varieties, so keep this in mind when setting your plant in your home. Peperomia are a diverse group of plants in the pepper family, Piperaceae, but not the edible pepper family that gives us green and hot peppers. They are not for human or pet consumption. A Peperomia that is too wet will send you the message loud and clear by dropping its leaves because its stems have become mushy at the base. If yellow leaves appear, that may be an indicator that you have kept it too moist. You may be able to save it by allowing it to dry out if you notice the yellow leaves soon enough. Find out more at about growing Peperomia at https://ngb.org/year-ofthe-peperomia/. o like water, but is sticky to the touch. The sugars in nectar give the insects the energy they need to move. In addition to sugars, nectar contains protein and vitamins. Honeybees also collect nectar, but they use it to make honey. This honey is an important food source for the bee colony. Honeybees, wild bees, and bumblebees collect pollen from flowers in addition to nectar and use it to feed their larvae. Pollen is created in the flower’s male germ cells. It looks like fine powder. Every flower produces a different color of pollen; from yellow to red, but sometimes also purple, white, and brown. Regardless of its color, all pollen contains protein, fat, and vitamins. When collecting pollen, bees pollinate flowers at the same time. Here are some additional interesting facts: • If they are unable to get to the nectar, bumblebees have a useful extra weapon! They throw their weight into the fray to open the flower. • Some bumblebees, like the bufftailed bumblebee, make a hole in the sides of flowers to get to the nectar. • Bumblebees and some other types of bees prefer white, yellow, and blue flowers. • Many flowers have spots and stripes. These act as signposts or guides to the nectar for our little friends, with the message “This way for nectar!” • Bees have special pollen baskets on their hind legs to transport pollen. • The amount of nectar a plant produces varies throughout the day. This is affected by moisture and sunlight. To learn more about flower bulbs, go to www.flowerbulbs.com. o

Early-Flowering Spring Bulbs for Bees

Bees of all kinds come to your garden as early as February, when they wake up from hibernation and rush out hungrily to find food. Help these important insects by selecting and ordering these early-blooming flower bulbs now to plant in the fall and greet them next spring with plenty of blooms. Some bulbs produce more food for bees than others, and the pollen of certain flowers is easier to reach than others. Always try to choose “pollen bombs” with open flowers. It’s also a good idea to spread the flowering times, so bees can feast for months on end. These flower bulbs are known for producing lots of nectar and pollen: • Grape hyacinth (Muscari) • Wood Anemone (Anemone nemerosa) • Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) • Botanical tulips (Tulipa) • Sicilian honey garlic (Netaroscordum siculum) • Garden Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) • Crocus (Crocus), botanical and largeflowered • Balkan anemone (Anemone blanda) • Allium (Allium giganteum, moly, and sphaerocephalon) • Snowdrops (Galanthus) • Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa luciliae and sardensis) • Scilla (Scilla bifolia and siberica) • Winter aconite (Eranthis) • Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) Once you have chosen your flower bulbs and they are ready to be planted, choose a spot in the garden with humus-rich soil, in the half-shade. Botanical tulips are the exception, because they like plenty of sunshine. Sun promotes the production of pollen and nectar. Flowers diffuse a stronger scent in the sun, so bees can find them more easily. Areas around trees or places where leaves are left in winter are perfect spots, because the humidity promotes the production of new seeds. From early spring to late fall, bees live off nectar, a sweet, syrupy liquid that is rich in sugar. You can see it in the heart or on the outside of the flower. It looks

Muscari ‘Mount Hood’. Photo courtesy of ibulb.org.