How to plant things that will keep bees coming back for more. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Bees are one of our most valuable pollinators, responsible for pollinating 80 percent of the world’s plants! That means 1 out of every 4 bites of food we eat is due to the hard work of bees. Its up to us to keep pollen plentiful so the bees will be coming back for more.
Flowering natives with open blooms are the best for bees, and you can check with your local nursery to find the ideal plants for your region, or websites such as The Native Plant Database, Plant Native, America’s Beauty, or Enature.
You can’t go wrong with herbs! Not only do bees adore them, but they are edible, help control invasive insect populations, smell nice, and look wonderful.
Many vegetables in the garden must flower first, attracting pollinators and ensuring a good harvest. Bees love the flowers from cucumbers, onions and chives, pumpkins, and other squash, as well as all types of melons. And, nearly every fruit tree will attract bees when flowering, too.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.