POLLINATOR  GARDEN  PLANTS

Start your own Pollinator Garden with bareroot plants from Rita Bees. Yes, we only offer two varieties ... for now!
SHIPPING April 1 - October 31
Who hasn't heard about the plight of pollinators? Whether the pollinator is a bee, butterfly, moth, wasp, bird - they are all in jeopardy because our landscapes have changed in several ways. If you're my age (OK, Boomer), you remember hundreds of lightning bug flashes instead of one here and one there. Clover in a lawn and Dandelions anywhere are considered weeds to be eradicated now. We made necklaces and bracelets from them. Many small farms with diverse crops have been replaced by megafarms devoted to monoculture - fields of the same crop as far as the eye can see that blooms only for a week or two. Hedgerows ... who knows what a hedgerow is anymore? Hedgerows are mostly remembered now as where soldiers hid during WWII. But they used to be conglomerations of berry brambles and small flowering trees and who knows what else that created a series of blooms from spring till fall. Good forage for pollinators! Dr. Marla Spivak has one of the best TED Talks re: pollinators. Listen to her on YouTube by clicking her photo. She says it all so much better than I ... and she's entertaining! 
Castille Soap
Insecticidal Soap Recipe:
Fill a spray bottle with a solution of 1 tbsp Castille Soap in 1 quart of water.  Spray on foliage to control thrips and other bug pests on daylilies.  Test the solution on a small amount of foliage to ensure the spray is of the right concentration. Wait 24 hours to ensure foliage is not damaged.
Spraying during early morning or evening is recommended to avoid damaging pollinators (butterflies, bees, etc.).
Castille Soap is mild and made with vegetable, not animal, oils.
Tatarian Aster - Perennial purple aster of low maintenance, attracts multiple species of pollinators. Grows best in full sun, 3-6 feet tall, 1 inch purple flowers with yellow centers. No staking required. Blooms September through October. Spreads easily and easily divided for sharing. A must-have for pollinator gardens. Shipped bareroot in moist peat moss, 3-5 plants/package.
                                            SOLD OUT 
Stokes Aster is a hardy, perennial native plant in the Southeastern US, growing 12-18" tall. Each plant produces 3-4" flower heads. Foliage dark green. Prefers sunny to partially shady conditions. Multiplies easily by self-sowing or dividing plants. Easily controlled by deadheading spent blooms. 5-8 plantlets are shipped bareroot in moist peat moss. 
These native Asters are grown in a home garden not a retail nursery. and are not grown in pots for retail showiness.   Before shipping, leaves may be trimmed back or the plant may not have leaves if it is in a dormancy period. They are hardy natives and still viable after 2-3 days of shipping. During growing season, the plants are shipped with leaves that can be moderately clipped after planting. Plants that are shipped are at least 2 years old and have proven they are bloomers. By placing an order, you agree to accept plants that are not showy but have viable roots and will grow to become pollinator habitat with proper care.
We believe you will be very surprised at their performance!