Welcoming Pollinators this Spring

Creating a Haven for Bees and Butterflies 

Spring brings a natural invitation to open the garden, and to welcome beneficial pollinators into the garden, such as the bees, butterflies and other helpful insects.

Due to habitat loss, climate extremes and chemical sprays, these beneficial insects face real pressure. Fortunately, home gardeners can make a difference. By creating safe, non-toxic spaces filled with flowers, clean water, and natural shelter, every garden, regardless of its size, can support pollinators and biodiversity. In this article, we outline the biggest threats and share simple ways you can make to support these little guys.

Why Pollinators Matter 🐝

Pollinators are essential for flowering plants and food crops. Around 90% of wild plants and 75% of global crops rely on animal pollination. In Australia, European honeybees are widely used in agriculture, but thousands of native bee species, such as the blue-banded bee and stingless bee, also play vital roles. Many are solitary, nest in soil or wood, and are highly sensitive to disruption.

What Are the Main Threats to Pollinators in Australia?

Pollinators everywhere face three main threats: toxic chemicals, parasites, and shrinking habitat. Industrial agriculture and urbanisation amplify these stresses. Neonicotinoid insecticides and common weed killers such as glyphosate (RoundUp) kill bees and poison their food sources. Even low exposures impair memory, navigation and reproduction, and herbicides poison food sources before killing the flowering plants they rely on. Varroa mites and other parasites add catastrophic stress to whole colonies. Add monoculture cropping and overly tidy gardens, and food and nesting sites disappear.

How Can You Support Pollinators Naturally?

+ Food: Aim for continuous bloom and a mix of flowering plants so there’s nectar and pollen available year-round, not only in spring. Choose open, single flowers; lean into natives such as grevilleas and banksias. Add herbs such as thyme, basil, and lavender, and plant in small clumps to make foraging efficient. Leave dandelions to flower as early-season fuel for native bees. Skip herbicides. For weeds, use hand-pulling, boiling water, or white vinegar on paths and hard surfaces.

+ Water: Provide a safe, shallow drinking spot for hydration and hive cooling. A simple saucer with pebbles gives a secure landing area to avoid drowning, partial shade keeps it cool, and a quick daily refresh in warm weather prevents stagnation.

+ Shelter: Make room for natural nesting. Leave a few patches of bare soil, keep some hollow stems and fallen branches, avoid plastic weed mat and heavy mulch that blocks access. Instead, plant ground covers to prevent weeds. Resist over-tidying, as those slightly messy corners often make the best homes.

Why Avoid Chemical Sprays in the Garden?

Chemical sprays kill bees and poison their food sources. Broad-spectrum products, including neonicotinoids, many fungicides and glyphosate, contaminate nectar and pollen, wipe out helpful insects like ladybirds and hoverflies, and damage the soil life plants depend on.

💡 To learn more about how chemical sprays can harm soil life and plant-microbe interactions, read our article “How Synthetic Gardening Chemicals (Agrochemicals) Kill the Soil."

Even "organic" options can harm pollinators if used the wrong way. If you must spray, never spray flowers, and apply at dusk when bees are inactive.

Safer Ways to Manage Pests and Weeds

Chemical sprays often cause more harm than good, especially to pollinators, beneficial insects, and soil biology. There are natural, effective alternatives that support plant health without resorting to toxins. Try these:

1. Companion planting: Grow plants together, such as marigolds or basil near tomatoes, to deter pests without chemicals.

   
   

2. Organic sprays: Use gentle, plant-based foliar sprays like The Carbon Garden's Mini Natural Fertiliser Bundle to support plant health and support resilient plants that naturally deter pests.

   
   

3. Encourage beneficial predators: Ladybirds, lacewings, and hoverflies help manage pests in harmony with the natural garden ecosystem.

   
   

4. Foliar feeding: Unhealthy plants attract pests. By strengthening plant health, they naturally deter pests.

Yes! Leaf Sprays Help Pollinators, Too

Leaf sprays build plant health without disrupting soil or insect life. The Carbon Garden foliar system includes:

• CropBioLife Activator: Flavonoids to improve overall nutrient uptake

  
  

• Plant Food: Essential macronutrients derived from organic seaweed

  
  

• Plant Tonic: Essential micronutrients and trace minerals for resilience

This bi-weekly spray cycle, included in The Carbon Garden Kit strengthens photosynthesis, root exudation, and microbial activity, creating a thriving, chemical-free garden.

Shop the Carbon Garden Kit

This spring, welcome the pollinators in.

When bees and butterflies thrive, so does your garden.

Want to learn more? Explore our regenerative gardening resources for seasonal guides, non-toxic care tips, and product insights.