When it comes to growing your garden, there are a million things that you have to think about. From figuring out which plants to grow to selecting the right kind of mulch, it can be an overwhelming process. But, while there are a lot of things to be thinking about, focusing on how you can encourage honey bees to come to your garden is a great place to start.
Use Native Plants
Using native plants is one of the most important ways for you to be able to attract more native honeybees. Native bees are more likely to be attracted to native plants for a variety of reasons. First, through the natural course of evolution, bees have evolved with the native plants in the area and so are best adapted to those particular species.
And even more than being best adapted to particular types of plants, some honey bees actually feed specifically on certain types of plants. So, introducing non-native plants in your garden may not be successful.
Avoid Harmful Chemicals
Avoid harmful pesticides or weed killers because they can have negative effects on many pollinating insects because some types of pesticides are not selective when it comes to killing insects. And in fact, some insecticides can kill honeybee populations.
Though pesticide can have a negative impact on bee populations, sometimes it is still necessary to use some form of pesticides to address other problems. If this is the case, it’s important to take specific precautions so that the pesticide does not drastically impact bees. One of the things you can do is spray pesticide in the evening because bees don’t tend to pollinate plants at that time of day.
Clump Several Types of Flowers
Bees are attracted to different colors of flowers. So choose several types of flowers in several different colors to maximize your garden’s attractive force for bees. You should also be sure to position these different types of flowers in clumps.
When flowers are clumped together, it’s easier for bees to recognize that area as a place to pollinate. When plants are dispersed more individually throughout a garden, it becomes less likely that bees will visit each flower individually.
Growing a garden takes a lot of effort. With so many decisions to be made about how to cultivate your garden, it’s important to not forget about how to attract honeybees. Starting with these suggestions can be a great jumping off point to growing a successful garden.
Read this next: Insects to Watch Out for When Gardening
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