In 2018 Gila County Cooperative Extension’s Chris Jones grabbed a shovel and showed proper planting technique, then joined Freeport-McMoRan staff and interns digging holes for nearly 50 new desert milkweed, ocotillo and prickly pear cactus. New plants were carefully positioned around mature mesquite trees, desert willow and other flowering plants selected for the Pollinator Garden alongside Highway 60 at Freeport-McMoRan’s Miami Operations. Butterflies, bees, ants, ladybugs and other insect pollinators were quickly attracted to the garden — designed to provide food and ‘larval host plants’ crucial for insect pollinators.

Hear an update on the garden and learn more about pollinators, and join a discussion about how to add suitable plants to your own garden, yard or landscape on Dec. 3 in a free webinar featuring Ann George, Senior Scientist of Biodiversity and Sustainability for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. The company is committed to conserving pollinator habitat through its Pollinator Conservation Initiative. The initiative serves to increase habitat for pollinators, while providing learners of all ages with opportunities to engage in STEM education. Partnerships are key to ensure pollinator conservation and education projects achieve greater longevity and sustainability. The presentation will touch on the basic elements required to create a successful pollinator habitat, drawing from approximately 10 years of experience creating gardens of various types and sizes in the arid southwest. Ann George will also discuss some of Freeport’s partnerships with conservation experts and community stakeholders to promote pollinator-focused education and outreach activities, such as Earth Day celebrations, pollinator workshops and hands-on planting events.

Cooperative Extension’s excellent series of free Thursday online presentations over the past year are arranged and hosted by Chris Jones, Extension Agent with University of Arizona’s Gila County Cooperative Extension. To be added to Mr. Jones’ invite list for gardening and horticulture workshops, email ckjones@email.arizona.ed or call 928-402-8586.

Please log in up to 10 minutes prior to the webinar;  the Zoom address is arizona.zoom.us/j/87690324094; find easy and direct hotlinks at  extension.arizona.edu/gila, where you can also view previous programs, such as ‘Winter Gardening’ and ‘Compost Tea,’  and ‘Payson’s New Fire Adapted Community Code.’ Cooperative Extension’s website above has an array of links to programs, talks and resources for Rim Country gardeners. Links are also conveniently posted each week on Facebook, where you can join Chris Jones and a local network of gardeners and green-thumbed followers at facebook.com/gilaextension.

Bees, Butterflies, Birds, Bats and Beetles

Start learning about pollinator gardening today - resources online include the concise 24-page PDF guide “Selecting Plants for Pollinators: a Regional Guide for Farmers, Land Managers and Gardeners” in the desert southwest. A compelling quote from the pamphlet states: “in their 1996 book, The Forgotten Pollinators, Buchmann and Nabhan estimated that animal pollinators are needed for the reproduction of 90 percent of flowering plants and one third of human food crops. Each of us depends on these industrious pollinators in a practical way to provide us with the wide range of foods we eat. In addition, pollinators are part of the intricate web that supports the biological diversity in natural ecosystems that helps sustain our quality of life.” The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum helped create pollinator gardens across Tucson, part of a multifaceted awareness campaign including the Pollinator Projects page on the website desertmuseum.org.

Dec. 10 Topic: Winterizing to Keep Your Garden Alive

Suzan Miller-Hoover is an avid gardener and staff member at the Payson Community Garden. Over the past three years Suzan has learned much from her fellow gardeners, always looking to learn new techniques. She shares her knowledge with the gardeners and the public while teaching classes for the garden and when working on her garden. Keep your garden alive during the winter. Feeding your gardens’ microbes and worms over the winter will enhance your chances of having an even better harvest next summer. Hear essential steps to winterize your garden and prepare it for the growing season ahead. Convenient, direct website hotlinks are at extension.arizona.edu/gila, where you can also view previous programs. Links are also posted on Facebook, where you can join Chris Jones and a local network of gardeners and green-thumbed followers at facebook.com/gilaextension.