Our Backyard Bee Journey!💗🐝

[drstratton]

That's a gorgeous sunset photo!

Thank you Debby! It was so pretty!

 

[drstratton]

We're finally getting around to planting a wildflower mix. We previously planted, Joe Pye weed, Butterfly weed, golden rod, catmint, goatsbeard and several other bee friendly plants. Those are in the back of this area.

Just for fun! I love bees on my flowers!

 

[N F C]

We're finally getting around to planting a wildflower mix. We previously planted, Joe Pye weed, Butterfly weed, golden rod, catmint, goatsbeard and several other bee friendly plants. Those are in the back of this area. View attachment 4179221

Just for fun! I love bees on my flowers!
View attachment 4179222

In that last picture, is that a Dahlia?

 

[Sally PB]

I used to not like goldenrod at all. It spreads, it gets really tall, and you can't get rid of it if it get a roothold. I don't mind it out in the field, but it needs to stay there.

Then I found out honeybees love it! I still don't let it get started in the gardens, but now I love it out in the field.

 

[Sally PB]

Please post pictures as your garden grows and blooms, @drstratton!

I planted plants for the honeybees down one side of part of my garden. The only one that has been a total success is New England Aster. They love it! It blooms during the autumn, when there isn't much else in bloom.

The clumps of daisies? Nah, they don't stop there. The purple coneflower? Haven't seen them there either. I'll be digging out some of the daisies next spring, in hopes that some of the other things I planted for the bees will get bigger and attract their attention.

The only flower I planted for bees that I've since ripped totally out was bee balm. Bumble bees liked it, and I'd have left it for them, but so did yellow jackets. Nope, not planting something to attract those!

I asked someone at the bee club why the honeybees didn't like the bee balm... the throat of the flower is too deep. They can't reach the nectar.

 

[drstratton]

In that last picture, is that a Dahlia?

Yes, it's one of my favorites.

 

[drstratton]

I used to not like goldenrod at all. It spreads, it gets really tall, and you can't get rid of it if it get a roothold. I don't mind it out in the field, but it needs to stay there.

Then I found out honeybees love it! I still don't let it get started in the gardens, but now I love it out in the field.

Yeah, I thought about that too. If it goes to crazy in this area, I can just quit watering. I want to get some started out where I used to keep my horse.

It's so funny you say that about the bees loving it. That's how I felt about the Showy Milkweed. I kept trying to eradicate it, now I want to spread it around...

 

[Sally PB]

I like milkweeds out in the field. That's another one I've had to keep on top of to keep out of the garden.

But out in the field? You go, milkweed! You and goldenrod can just take off and spread and feed the bees!

As I empty my garden beds, I'm planting buckwheat as a ground cover. I don't need to worry about it being a problem, as the first frost will kill it. It shades out weeds, and if it has time to flower, the honeybees can have a feast.

Next year, I plan to have a section of the garden planted in buckwheat, just for the bees. And maybe also in some areas that end up getting full of weeds.

Buckwheat honey...

 

[Sally PB]

Has anyone been to a honey tasting room? I thought that would be an up and coming thing, but all I'm finding is mead. I want to taste different honeys, not mead.

 

[drstratton]

Please post pictures as your garden grows and blooms, @drstratton!

I planted plants for the honeybees down one side of part of my garden. The only one that has been a total success is New England Aster. They love it! It blooms during the autumn, when there isn't much else in bloom.

The clumps of daisies? Nah, they don't stop there. The purple coneflower? Haven't seen them there either. I'll be digging out some of the daisies next spring, in hopes that some of the other things I planted for the bees will get bigger and attract their attention.

The only flower I planted for bees that I've since ripped totally out was bee balm. Bumble bees liked it, and I'd have left it for them, but so did yellow jackets. Nope, not planting something to attract those!

I asked someone at the bee club why the honeybees didn't like the bee balm... the throat of the flower is too deep. They can't reach the nectar.

I'll keep sharing. We also have bee balm, I've seen them on it, but only briefly, I'm sure it's what you said. The hummingbirds love it. I've also learned that they like flowers that have nice open centers, but they do spend time on some of my fluffier flowers. They are really enjoying our dahlias. We're heading into our dearth, so I think we're seeing them on our flowers a lot more. We're planting a many flowers as we can that will grow late summer into fall. I'm sure it's not enough to support 4 hives, but it will supplement. They just planted buckwheat about a mile from our place, so that will give them a new nectar source in about 6 weeks.