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The numbers are startling: 75 percent of all insects are gone by 1970. 48 percent of the plants in Switzerland are on the Red List, that is, they are in danger of extinction.
If this continues unchanged, there is a risk that our food chain will collapse in a few years. More than 50 European researchers independent of the food industry warn of this. Tomatoes, eggplants, apples, cherries, zucchini – all gone. If this continues like this, our grandchildren will no longer know how vegetables and fruits taste. youOur agriculture is systematically poisoning our food supply and drinking water. There are no more excuses: we have to intervene ourselves. In three ways: as a consumer, as a gardener, and as a citizen.
we can do something very good
Everyone who buys organic products supports agriculture that does not use pesticides and thus preserves the biological processes in our environment in the long term. While major distributors don’t stock everything organic quality, there are practical alternatives. For example the website farmy.ch: The company offers to deliver a variety of organic and Demeter products, including milk, meat and eggs, to your doorstep in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Much can be achieved in the garden or on the balcony
Those who create a weekly menu, plan and order what they really need, not only reduce food waste and encourage insects and small animals, but – despite the better organic quality – have more money in their wallets at the weekend.
You can also plant insect-friendly native flowers on the windowsill, on the balcony or in the garden and provide wintering opportunities – every bit helps.
Tip 1: Order less!
Thuja, boxwood or laurel hedges are a disaster for insects and do not provide habitat for native species. It is much better to create a native woody hedge and plant a few wild perennials under it, the stems of which can remain as a winter aid. Thus, various flying insects find food and find a nest.
If you have a small wall to green, plant native ivy as well – it will bloom later this year. Both nectar and pollen are very popular among the large number of flying insects.
In addition to the aforementioned hedges, ecological deserts are also popular English grasses; it is better to sow flower lawns or create a flower meadow corner on at least ten square meters. Caution: Many flower mixes available from wholesalers consist of non-native flowering plants and annuals. These bloom profusely the first year, but then weeds spread. Mixtures specializing in local soils close to the original wildflower meadows can be ordered at ufasamen.ch.
But garden owners can do much more. In particular, to encourage many endangered insect species, it’s important to build a pile of dead wood in a corner from tree and hedge clippings that can stay intact for several years.
Tip 2: Drop the stems!
The same goes for the window sill: plant wild perennials! In addition, nesting and hibernation aids can be installed on the balcony: you can encourage up to ten species of native wasps by leaving the stems of larger plants standing or fixing them vertically to the building wall. They prefer to colonize individual vertical blackberry stems about 1 cm in diameter and about 50 cm in height. But sunflower stalks or mullein stalks are also popular. Swiss website wildbee.ch has videos showing how to prepare these trunks for insects to recognize them as nesting sites. Tip: If you plant wild fennel in a large pot, with a little luck you can attract beautiful swallowtail caterpillars. And if you let native cornflowers bloom by your side, you’re providing equal food for the endangered butterflies.
On wildstauden.ch under the heading “Variety and special lists” you can find compilations of various native plants and information on which insects and at what stage they provide food – including an extra list for balconies and terraces. The website also offers express postage for plants.
Tip #3: Plant wild perennials!
Stay away from sardines! The popular “Granium” offers neither pollen nor nectar for insects. The flowers of native wild perennials are generally somewhat more modest than the highly cultivated, double species, but they are packed with food for bumblebees, wild bees, butterflies and a variety of flying flies. These flowering wild perennials can also be grown in balcony boxes. The main thing that will help flying insects: let something bloom constantly! For example, in a flower box, crocus bulbs or sage bulbs may sleep under the root balls of perennials or culinary herbs such as nasturtiums. The first rises as early as March and is a real pollen miracle, the second blooms until early November in good conditions. An online PDF with suitable balcony plants and when they bloom can be found at bluehende-landschaft.de under the keyword “Action suggestions”. This makes it easy to assemble the insect pastures that provide food from March to October.
Insider tip: Many culinary herbs, such as chives, thyme, marjoram, thyme, and peppermint, are as pleasing to our taste buds as they are to insects – as long as they’re allowed to bloom.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
