Habitat assessment by SlyFox | The Great Sunflower Project

Assessment results

Answer given	Our advice
Are there areas with bare ground and very few plants?: No	Consider increasing the amount of bare ground. Ground nesting bees are more likely to nest where there is bare ground.
Are there areas with sandy loamy soil?: No	Consider increasing the amount of sandy loamy soil. Ground nesting bees often prefer sandy loamy soil as it is easier to dig and drains well. Sandy loam is made up of 10-50% silt or organic matter, 50-75% sand, and less than 20% clay. So if you have 15% sand in your existing soil, you will need to add enough sand to make it at least 50%. If you have 30% clay, you will need to add enough of the sand or compost to bring that percentage down to less than 20%.
Are there low traffic areas where the soil is not turned over, tilled or plowed?: No	Set aside some areas for no tilling, plowing or turning over. Ground nesting bees nest anywhere from the top inches to several feet below the surface. Reducing disturbance allows those bees to survive to the next year.
Are there areas dead wood, brush piles or snags present?: No	Leave some dead wood, brush or snags in your habitat. Cavity nesting bees spend their winters in the holes found in these items.
Are there areas with pithy twigs (elderberry, cane fruit, sumac, etc…)?: No	Add some plants that have pithy stems to your habitat. Cavity nesting bees spend their winters in the center of the stems of these plants.
Are there bee nesting blocks?: No	Supplement your habitats with nest blocks. Learn how to build them here.
What is the main type of vegetation in the area you are evaluating (park, garden, yard, farm...)?: Mostly non-native plants including vegetables	Shift some of your non-native plants to natives.
How much of the whole yard, park, farm or green space is garden space or wild/natural vegetation?: A little. Between 5-20%.	Add a new garden or expand your current garden space. Every little bit helps.
How much of the garden is planted with flowering annual or perennial plants (including shrubs, vegetables and trees)?: A lot (51-75%)	Consider supplementing your garden with some native, pollinator friendly plants and converting some lawn!
Are the flowering plants that you have pollinator friendly?: Not much (1-25%)	Considering adding more pollinator friendly plants.
How many flowers in your garden bloom in spring?: 7-9	Add 2 or 3 more kinds of spring flowers.
How many flowers in your garden bloom in fall?: 4-6	Add 3-4 more fall flowers to support fall bees.
How many flowers in your garden bloom in summer?: 4-6	Add 2-3 more types of summer flowers to support summer bees.
Are flowers planted in clumps?: No.	Consider planting flowers in clumps. Bees are more likely to be attracted to larger patches of flowers of the same type.
Is there fresh, clean water always available with a perch that bees could stand on and drink?: No	Consider adding a water element. This can be as simple as a bowl with some rocks thrown in for bees to stand on while drinking.
If you use pesticides, do you avoid using neonicotinoid pesticides?: No.	Consider using something less toxic to bees.
Does the garden use herbicides?: Yes.	Consider reducing your herbicide use and be sure it is an herbice that is not toxic to pollinators.
How many different pollinator counts will your contribute this year?: Five or more.	We'd love to see pollinator counts from any of the plants in your garden as many times as you can contribute. Thanks!
What time of day are pesticides applied?: Pesticides are sometimes used during the day	Reduce your pesticide use and consider spraying only at night.
Is the drift of pesticides controlled?: No.	Try to keep pesticides where you want them. Here are some suggestions.