Spring Update follow up!

Thanks to everyone for a great turnout at yesterday’s OSU Phenology Network spring update! Visit our garden network website here.

I promised to follow up with several items, including how to register for the free Bees in Your Backyard session on June 1st at the NW library in Worthington with Olivia Carril, open to all active Network cooperators. The session will run from 9:30AM to 3PM, and will include indoor bee ID and biology, time spent under microscopes, and time in the field catching and releasing bees. Cooperators can register here.

If you haven’t already done so, you can create account with The Great Sunflower Project and learn more about monitoring for pollinators here.

I will clarify the “flower number” definitions for all our plants, and will post updates as soon as I can put materials together.

Yesterday’s powerpoint program is embedded on our website here.

A general phenology powerpoint program can be found here. You can download by clicking on the settings wheel, then customize on your computer.

Our session included information on the Ohio Pollinator Advocate program. Here’s a link to that website, which includes powerpoints and other resources.

The ‘Lemon Queen’ sunflower seeds handed out yesterday are for you, just for fun. Don’t feel like you have to include them in your phenology garden, and it’s up to you whether you want to monitor the sunflowers for pollinators through The Great Sunflower Project.

Similarly, the flat of native perennials is to enhance your phenology garden if appropriate. Don’t feel obligated to monitor these plants unless you have the time and cooperators to do so.

I’m checking into possibilities for ordering metal stakes, although most suppliers I know of are out of business. I have one lead to follow, and I’ll let everyone know what I learn.

Here’s the link to request engraved labels for your phenology plants.

Other links I wanted to share:

• Sam Droege’s Handy Bee Manual, which includes directions to make the ziplock bug nets.
• Ashley Kulhanek’s Trifold Phenology Garden brochure file
• Bee ID card PDF
• Bee Poster PDF
• Wasp ID card PDF
• We had an assortment of comments and questions about pest management practices and their effect on pollinators. Check out this excellent MSU guide, written in part by Dan Herms.

Special thanks to Jason Veil and Paul Snyder for leading arboretum walks, to Bob Filbrun and Jeni Filbrun for growing our plants, and to Karen Edgington for help with set up and clean up yesterday.

And thanks to all for your continued involvement with the Ohio Phenology Garden Network! We have an amazing group of cooperators, and I’m consistently proud to work with this project.

Denise