With Pollinators at Risk, Bee-Friendly Gardening Moving into Mainstream

Bee-friendly landscaping and gardening is both necessary and possible—and the movement is growing, according to a new report released Monday by Friends of the Earth and the Pesticide Research Institute.

“A growing number of wholesale nurseries, retailers and institutions have successfully made the shift away from bee-harming pesticides, which signals that these essential changes are possible,” said Lisa Archer, Food & Technology program director at Friends of the Earth, in a statement. “We hope that this report will be a resource for other responsible businesses as they get toxic, bee-harming pesticides out of their plants, off their shelves and out of the environment as soon as possible.”

The report, (pdf), relies on interviews with growers at nurseries and greenhouses across the nation, many of which are taking a proactive, precautionary stance on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides that are toxic to bees and other pollinators.

“[A]lthough nursery and greenhouse use of these insecticides may not be comparable in quantity to agricultural use, it is highly targeted to plants that are grown intentionally for their flowers—plants that are attractive to pollinators,” the report explains. “Hence, there are heightened concerns about neonicotinoids in nursery production.”

According to the report, “The combination of high toxicity, systemic action and persistence means that the flowers of neonicotinoid-treated plants will remain a source of toxic exposure for bees and other beneficial insects throughout the growing season (for annuals) and for several years (for perennials).”

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While a 2014 study by the same two organizations showed that 51 percent of garden plants purchased at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Walmart in 18 cities in the United States and Canada contained neonicotinoid pesticides at levels that could harm or even kill bees, the authors point out that in the face of mounting evidence and growing consumer demand, an increasing number of wholesale nurseries, landscaping companies, and garden retailers are paying attention to the issue and beginning to change their practices in response.