The Birds, the Bees, and Other Things

A little behind-the-scenes look at what makes your garden grow

📝 Opinion | By Guy Saldiveri | January 23, 2026

 

And to think, I started out looking to debunk the need for the birds and the bees, only to end up making the case for keeping them around—go figure.

This is another great opportunity to get some really good information out there. Those winged coworkers are some of the most important things we invite into our gardens. They do wonders when it comes to helping your flowers perk and flourish. They help pollinate your vegetables, disperse seeds, and are vital for fruit and nut production. 

Without the birds and the bees, we wouldn’t know what honey was—or at least we wouldn’t have any. Our flowers wouldn’t bloom like they do, seeds wouldn’t get dispersed, and the number of plants we have would drop dramatically. We would also miss out on many of the grapes, berries, nuts, and citrus fruits we consume.

If they suddenly disappeared, we would definitely feel their absence. Not on the apocalyptic scale that some of those memes would have you believe, but we would without a doubt know they were gone. 

Why do I say that? Well, if you do a little digging, you’ll find that they’re great for seed dispersal and pollinating flowers. And like I’ve already said, they also do a great job when it comes to increasing the yields in our orchards and groves. These plants are very dependent on outside pollinators. 

The self-fertile or wind-pollinated plants that typically provide the bulk of our calories and many of our nutrients—can generally do just as well without them. Do we need pollinators? Most definitely. Would we die without them? Probably not. 

And that’s the part that most people seem to miss for some reason. It’s also the reason for this blog entry. What we are usually told is no bees = no food = we die. No, I’m not being dramatic here; I’m echoing what I see daily in online forums and groups. I’d just like to set the record straight, if nothing else, just for my peace of mind. 

Most of what I read claims we’d perish within four years without those pesky pollinators. It just isn’t factual. I’m not downplaying the impact, just putting it into perspective. Most of the crops that really sustain us are self‑fertile or wind‑pollinated—wheat, corn, barley, and rice. Even tomatoes and peppers would do just fine without them. Leafy greens would feel little to no impact either, at least until we get through the current harvest.

Where they really come into play is fruits, nuts, and melons. We would really take a hit when it comes to coffee, blueberries, strawberries, apples, almonds, etc. Not the stuff that keeps us alive—the stuff that makes life FUN! 

I mean, be honest—it would keep you alive—but would you want to eat nothing but rice and oatmeal for the rest of your life? I know I wouldn’t. And if you think: “Well, I’ll just eat more meat,” think again. Cows eat grass, and yes, grass IS wind-pollinated, but the industry relies heavily on pollinators for other things that also sustain the cows. 

Clover and alfalfa are high-protein superfoods for cattle and they are both heavily dependent on bees. Both help keep livestock healthy. Without the bees, the cows (and us) would suffer.

Another big hit would be the nutritional void. Most of the crops that provide us with the bulk of our vitamins—especially A, C, and E—would disappear, or simply not produce. We might have full bellies, but we would suffer from some of those “old-time” maladies like scurvy and night blindness. Not to mention, we would most likely see an increase in heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

We’d live—we’d be full—but our quality of life would certainly take a hit.

Bottom line: While we won’t die in that four-year time frame we keep hearing about, life itself would get less vibrant and a lot more boring. Those pesky pollinators play an important part in our ecological equilibrium. 

Let’s do our part when it comes to keeping them around. A little less pesticide, a little more corner of the yard stumpery, a little wild spot where it doesn’t get in the way. All of that goes a long way toward helping out those little helpers—and they add a little beauty to boot.

Happy Gardening 🌱