Spring is in the air! The weather is warm and people are getting outdoors. The atmosphere is energized with thunderstorms. Gardeners are actively tending their patch of planet Earth.
Platte Land Trust continues to celebrate Earth Day with FREE native plants on Saturday, April 30, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Parkville Farmer’s Market, Parkville MO. There will be bare-root seedlings of native shrubs plus flowers that support our pollinating insects. Come by and see us!
There are still a few native plant sales in the KC region if you are in the market.
April 30, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at KC River Market, Missouri Prairie Foundation
April 30, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at John Wornall House Spring Herb & Flower sale, 61st Terrace & Wornall Road, KCMO
May 7, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bass Pro Shop in Independence
May 7, 10a.m. to 5 p.m. at Powell Gardens
May 7, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Monarch Watch, Foley Hall, Univ. of Kansas
May 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library
May 13 and 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wings Over Weston, Weston Bend State Park
Where you purchase your native plants matters. Purchase native plants from businesses that do not use toxic insecticides on their plants – either at the nursery or the wholesaler from which plants are purchased.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are particularly dangerous for bees and insects because they make the entire plant poisonous, including its nectar and pollen. Small doses of these pesticides can kill bees outright, but even at low doses that may not kill immediately, neonicotinoids impair bees’ ability to breed, forage, fight disease and survive the winter.
A world without bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects is unimaginable. Nearly one-third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees. The declining population of bees and pollinating insects is a crisis that affects our ecosystems, economy and food supply.
Please be good stewards of your patch of planet Earth – shop wisely when purchasing plants for your yard.
