With Jenny Watts

As problems like global warming and peak oil gain headlines in the newspapers, an equally large problem is going largely unnoticed. Although they don’t produce honey, about one-third of our fruits, berries, grapes, nuts and vegetables are pollinated by native bees, and the native bee population is declining.

Of the 1,600 species of native bees in California, most live alone, making individual nests rather than colonies. Suburban development is destroying wild habitats where native bees once prospered, and commercial agricultural practices have been devastating to both native and honeybee populations.

But this is a problem every gardener can do something about. Instead of planting a garden with only the flowers you enjoy, add some flowers and shrubs to your garden or landscape to attract the bees. In so doing, you will be helping to sustain these valuable insects and, as a reward, you will enjoy bumper crops in your own orchards and vegetable gardens as well.

Since native bees are around all through the growing season, it is important to plant flowers that bloom successively over the spring, summer and fall. By grouping the flowers that attract bees together, you are more likely to draw bees to your
Advertisement
garden. Gardens with 10 or more species of attractive plants will attract the largest number of bees.

Flowers clustered into clumps of one species will attract more pollinators than will individual plants scattered through the area. Where space allows, make the clumps four feet or more in diameter.

Choose several colors of flowers. Bees have good color vision to help them find flowers and the nectar and pollen they offer. Flower colors that particularly attract bees are blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow.

Some of the best pollen sources that bloom in the spring are California poppy, calendula, larkspur and wallflower (Erysimum). A planting of mixed spring wildflowers will give you many fine bee plants. Manzanitas, flowering currant (Ribes), Oregon grape (Mahonia) and wild lilacs (Ceanothus sp.) are good shrubs for early in the season.

There are many good choices for late spring and early summer. Yarrows of all kinds attract bees, as do catmint, penstemons, lavenders, lupines, thymes and borage. Bush anemone (Carpenteria californica) attracts several kinds of bees and huckleberries are good bee plants. Rosemary is very attractive to bees and so are elderberries.

Midsummer choices include gaillardia, echinacea, coreopsis, germander, salvias, verbenas and asters. Basil, carrots and herbs left to flower, cosmos, bachelor buttons, squash and pumpkins will all attract bees to your garden. Rudbeckias, sedums and sunflowers will provide forage for the end of summer and into the fall.

Plant native plants, if possible, to readily attract our native bees. Let your garden be a little “wild” with a variety of plants to make a bee-friendly garden. What’s good for the bees is good for our fruits and vegetables and a good thing to do for the planet.

Gardening Tips

* Fertilize established roses now and begin spraying them for insect and disease problems. Neem oil is a very effective, less toxic spray that works against both insects and diseases.

* Turn in cover crops now and you will be ready to plant your summer garden in two or three weeks.

* Plant summer-flowering bulbs now. Glads, dahlias, callas, cannas and lilies will bloom this summer if planted soon.

* Lettuce, cabbages, broccoli, onions and other cool-season vegetables can be set out with no protection. They will give you a delicious early harvest.

* Bleeding hearts are charming perennials for the shade garden. Look for them now for a special accent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: California Certified Nursery Professional Jenny Watts is co-owner of Sanhedrin Nursery in Willits.

source : www.willitsnews.com