Can we help you set up your solar array pollinator garden?

Adding pollinator-friendly plantings to your renewable energy project is an excellent way to not only preserve but improve the quality and value of your land. A pollinator garden is simply a collection of blooms that are rich in the kinds of plants that attract beneficial birds and insects. Regardless of your project (wind turbines, solar panels, or even commercial and utility scale photovoltaic (PV) power generators), adding pollinator-friendly plants around your renewable energy source will attract beneficial birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinating insects, all of which will find food and habitat in this ecosystem.

Adding pollinating plants has also been shown to strengthen and improve the ecology of the surrounding area, which means that forests and farmers surrounding a solar array can also see improved value.

Choosing flowers for your solar array pollinator garden

The plants that are best suited to pollinate your garden depend on your location. Distinguishing factors of a parcel of land such as elevation, sunlight levels, and proximity to water and/or rock formations create micro-climates that make it easier or more difficult for certain species to thrive. An experienced horticulturalist can help you identify the property features around your solar modules and make recommendations for plants that will not only grow, but thrive.

Can't wait to start collecting ideas? Here are some of our favourite selections that tend to do well in our area.

Native to Southern Ontario/Western New York

Non-native (but still effective) pollinator flowers

Other elements to consider

A thriving ecosystem requires more than just blooms to stay healthy. We recommend interspersing your flower plantings with grasses and even a few shrubs to provide more food and shelter options to your pollinators.

Shrubs

Grasses

One of the great things about planting local natives is that they tend to "take" very easily and without much maintenance. In fact, it is possible to simply sow seeds, and a large solar array field can turn into a lush blooming meadow within three years.

Here is a breakdown of some of the ways you can consider establishing your own solar array pollinator garden:

Hydro-seeding

With this method, seeds are mixed into a liquid and then sprayed directly onto the ground. If you've ever seen a thick blue spray at the side of a road, that is likely grass seed being sown through hydro-seeding. Hydro-seeding does not require dye, however. Hydro-seeding may be implemented on foot or by truck and is a good option for properties of 5+ acres.

Mechanical seed broadcasting

Here, plant seed is poured into a wheelbarrow specially fitted with a dispersal mechanism. The sower walks this device across the land, sowing as it goes. This is a good option for mid-sized to large spaces (1-5) acres.

Hand-sowing

Sowing your seeds by hand is a suitable option for people who are not interested in renting equipment, or who want greater control on the placement of certain plants. For example, a property owner interested in establishing a lush echinacea stand may choose to hand sow that particular area. (They may choose hydro-seeding or mechanical broadcasting in other areas, however.) Hand-sowing is a labour of love, however, and is best used on smaller properties (under 2 acres).

Dedicated planting

This option skips the step of waiting for seeds to sprout, and plants nursery plugs, which are small seedlings or established perennial plants. Here, the appearance of a garden is almost instantaneous. Although this option is more costly on a large scale, in some cases, like a smaller site, it could be more economical to plant these plugs to accelerate the establishment of a perennial garden.

At Toronto Horticulture, we typically do not recommend planting annuals (flowers that bloom one year then die), as there is no guarantee they will self-seed the following year. This means higher maintenance in keeping a closer eye to guarantee that enough plants come back each year. However, there may be special reasons why a person chooses to plant annuals, and we always support our gardeners' vision as best we can.

Services we provide for starting your own solar array pollinator garden

If you are interested in establishing your own solar array pollinator garden, Toronto Horticulture can support you with:

• A consultation to inform you on factors you should know about your property before selecting your plants.

• We can help you identify an optimized pollinator selection based on the unique features of your land type, saving you money on plants that don't take and potentially hours of unnecessary maintenance.

• After selecting the optimal plant species for your property, we can also source the plants and/or seeds to help you find the best quality and price for your selections.

• We can also help install your pollinator garden. Depending on the size of your array, you may choose any of the above methods, or we can discuss a method that works best for you.

Contact us to get started.