Plant These for the Bees

[NC Susan]

[Wilbur]

The bee and butterfly population around my house has completely disappeared. We have plenty of flowers/flowering plants around - but neither bees or butterflies are around.

That is probably one reason my garden was an epic fail this year (with the exception of my lettuce - had plenty of that).

[summerthyme]

Butterflies and bees NEED water. If you're having a dry spell, place shallow saucers of water around, or run a sprinkler for them. You'll be amazed at how many will come to the water...

I plant a few hundred crocus bulbs every fall (and daffodils if I can afford them... I LOVE the spring flowers after our long cold winters) But the crocuses are vital... I've discovered they must be the first blooming flower to provide nectar and pollen for the honeybees. It's lots of fun and hilarious to watch the bees fight over the blossoms... some of them even force buds open, and if you watch you'll see a tiny bee face peek out of the closed bud, then crawl out, covered with pollen. Clearly very happy about being the "first" to find that particular flower.

I must have close to 3000 crocus bulbs planted (and they multiply- the early little species crocuses also spread by seed) so there are probably 5000 or more. The lawn is a multicolored carpet for a couple weeks in the spring.

Summerthyme

[gunnersmom]

ST, do you plant them right in the lawn? If so, are they okay being mowed over, later?

[nilla]

This year has been SOOOO dry that the bees seem to be all over the reservoirs for all my planters as well as the bird bath and the water containers with pebbles I put out for the butterflies. Been giving them sugar water as well as the blooms in my perennial gardens have come and gone so fast this summer due to the heat and drought.
The bees also like the pine trees early in the summer.

[packyderms_wife]

ST, do you plant them right in the lawn? If so, are they okay being mowed over, later?

Yes you can plant them directly into the lawn and then mow over them later, that is what I've done, I also have mini grape hyacinths as well. The chipmunks have devastated my bulbs though, because of the warm dry winter, and I need to replant this year.

K-

[PilotFighter]

I have white clover planted on about a 1/2 acre of my land in a shaded area. It stays full of bees. Water is needed. I saw that my brother in laws uncle, who has about 120 hives, put bird baths next to his hives. So I have 3 baths in the clover area for them. Amazing how many bees you can find on them drinking.

[Flippper]

They don't have oregano on there, honey bees LOVE it when it's in blossom, more than any other herb or flower I have. We have tons of big yellow and black butterflies, cabbage moths and dragon flies as well, more than I've seen in a long time. Wasps and hornets too, unfortunately, they've taken over the bird bath.

[summerthyme]

Sorry... didn't see the question!

Yes, right in the lawn. Crocuses bloom and mature early enough that they USUALLY have plenty of time to ripen their leaves (which puts the energy back into the bulb for next year's blooms) before the lawn needs mowing. Of course, some of that depends on how OCD you are about lawn mowing! If you're one who needs a golf course green starting in April... you probably don't want to naturalize crocuses (and you REALLY don't want to naturalize daffodils and tulips!! I have a couple thousand of them in the lawns as well, and hubby and the hired man bitch every spring about having to mow around them. I keep telling them my goal is to have the entire lawn covered, so we don't have to mow until the middle of June- but I admit, it DOES look pretty ratty when the leaves are yellowing, but can't quite be cut down yet!)

The early "species" crocuses are the absolute earliest, and are probably best for naturalizing.

Summerthyme

[packyderms_wife]

Sorry... didn't see the question!

Yes, right in the lawn. Crocuses bloom and mature early enough that they USUALLY have plenty of time to ripen their leaves (which puts the energy back into the bulb for next year's blooms) before the lawn needs mowing. Of course, some of that depends on how OCD you are about lawn mowing! If you're one who needs a golf course green starting in April... you probably don't want to naturalize crocuses (and you REALLY don't want to naturalize daffodils and tulips!! I have a couple thousand of them in the lawns as well, and hubby and the hired man bitch every spring about having to mow around them. I keep telling them my goal is to have the entire lawn covered, so we don't have to mow until the middle of June- but I admit, it DOES look pretty ratty when the leaves are yellowing, but can't quite be cut down yet!)

The early "species" crocuses are the absolute earliest, and are probably best for naturalizing.

Summerthyme

Just like Tasha Tudor!!! I think they guestimated there were over a million bulbs, of various types, in her lawn!!!