My Asters And Other Ways To Attract Bees

A quick footnote to my last post about Asters: the bees love my new plant! I've noticed an increase in their numbers since its arrival, and every time I stop to look at the flowers, I see several bees hard at work.

This got me thinking about pollinating my fruit and veggie plants in the back yard (I planted my Asters in the front), and I thought what a shame that Asters are late bloomers. But wait, I could certainly look into other bee-attracting tips, couldn't I?

Here's what I found out:

• Plant a variety of florals that will bloom in stages all season, that way you always have a place for bees to come.
• Bees like a wider variety of blooms (as opposed to many of the same kind).
  
• There are many herbs that attract bees (check! I have some in my garden already).
• Provide a water source (like a small pond). Bees need water as well as nectar.
  
• Do not use pesticides. I already don't, but it's still an important point (and one that makes sense).
• Leave a portion of your garden as bare dirt (i.e. mulch and plastic free) to allow for bees that lay eggs in small tunnels under ground.
• Leaving blooming weeds, such as dandelions, buttercups and white clover, can attract bees as well.
• Here's a link to an article that lists good bee-attracting plants: Buzzworthy Plants That Attract Bees, by Brian Clark Howard.

The wheels in my head are turning now, generating a to-do list:

1. Get a bird bath for the veggie garden.
2. Plant some marigolds all around the perimeter of the veggie garden, and maybe some black eyed susans inside.
3. Add more herbs, and spread them out throughout the garden instead of having them clumped in one area.
4. And the list goes on...
   

Happy bee luring!!

Plant Avenue Home