Thank you for purchasing one of my STONEWARE POLLINATOR BOWLS. And congrats to you if you have been gifted one!

Each one is made by hand in my small batch pottery studio with love. It is my hope that they land in the hands of those who have a love of gardening and interest in promoting abundant spaces for pollinators.

INSTALLATION

  • The stoneware bloom is designed to separate from the stake for easy installation. Remove and push stake into soil.

WHAT DO I PUT IN IT?

  • Water. Keep it fresh. Add a pebble to the middle as a “life raft” for bees

  • Sugar water. Keep it fresh

  • Mineral Puddler (recipe below)

  • Over-ripe fruit (this one is Suzan’s favorite to use)

  • Wintertime: Seed

CARE

  • Bloom top can either be stowed away in winter months OR, if you prefer to leave out, it will totally be ok in sub degrees. Suzan leaves hers out all year long. Ice will not harm it.

  • What if it gets gunked up from pollen, droppings, etc.? My stoneware can survive the oven, so it most certainly can take a ride through a dishwasher.

  • My husband cuts and grinds the ends of the steel stakes, then rubs with oil. If you do not want the “homestead rusty look”, simply maintain by occasionally rubbing with any oil (olive oil, wd40 spray… whatever you have on hand). They can also be painted or clear coated.

MINERAL PUDDLER RECIPE

Butterfly puddling is when butterflies (typically male) visit and gather nutrients from a natural puddle or moist riverbank. These areas are typically rich with minerals from silt, and are critical for reproduction.

To make your own Mineral Puddler:
Simply fill your Pollinator Bowl with a mixture of natural soil and sand (do not use soil treated with chemicals). Add enough water to moisten the soil, and sprinkle some salt. Keep moist during the heat of the day when butterflies are more likely to visit.