🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[Sally PB]

I have a spot where I'd like to plant white clover. I need something that doesn't get very tall and likes lots of sun. I see our bees on the white clover in the mowed paths. This are would not get mowed.

It's not a big area; I'd estimate 12 by 8... ish? It would be great if what I put there was perennial, or self-seeding, and grew in thickly enough to keep the grass at bay.

 

[R2elk]

I have a spot where I'd like to plant white clover. I need something that doesn't get very tall and likes lots of sun. I see our bees on the white clover in the mowed paths. This are would not get mowed.

It's not a big area; I'd estimate 12 by 8... ish? It would be great if what I put there was perennial, or self-seeding, and grew in thickly enough to keep the grass at bay.

Dutch White Clover can coexist with grass in a lawn. When mowed it stays low and blooms low. In competition with tall plants it can get taller than normal. I have some that is 2' tall and others that are 6" tall. They reseed plentifully.

 

[Sally PB]

I have some that is 2' tall

Oh, my! I've only ever seen it low to the ground in amongst grass.

 

[R2elk]

Just put in an order for yellow and white sweet clover and rocky mountain bee plant seeds. I already have Butterfly Weed seeds.
The RMBP & Butterfly weed will be planted this fall, before the first frost. They both need cold stratification. We will plant the BW first as it needs a light covering of soil. The RMBP needs sunlight, so it will be planted on top and not covered.
The clover will be planted in the spring after the last frost.
We will have plenty of time to get everything cleared out and the ground prepped.

Honeybee working sweet clover.

 

[Sally PB]

I've been seeing some on the buckwheat. You go, girls!

 

[drstratton]

Honeybee working sweet clover.
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Love this! That's what they look like on my saliva and basil.

 

[drstratton]

I've been seeing some on the buckwheat. You go, girls!

Sometimes it takes a bit for them to discover it. That's how it was with our flowers, now they are all over them.

 

[R2elk]

Another "flower" they really like is Malva zebrina. In the right climate it is a perennial. Here it acts like an annual. It reseeds prolifically. I now treat it as a weed in my garden.

Its blooms continue past mild frosts with the bees taking full advantage of the late blooms.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Oh, my! I've only ever seen it low to the ground in amongst grass.

The variety of white dutch clover I have doesn't get very tall. I like creeping thyme as well. Both are low growing and attract bees.

 

[drstratton]

Another "flower" they really like is Malva zebrina. In the right climate it is a perennial. Here it acts like an annual. It reseeds prolifically. I now treat it as a weed in my garden.
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Its blooms continue past mild frosts with the bees taking full advantage of the late blooms.

That's beautiful. My husband tried a variant of this in the past and it never came back. But, we are going to try to find this variety, it says it should grow in our zone 6. Thank you!
Note to self, keep out of garden...lol