Planting for bees

[columbiacritter]

I have an acre of organic unused pasture that my hives will face. This year I won't be able to have it plowed, but I want to scatter a variety of seed to feed the bees later. Buckwheat and red clover. What else?

[JBJ]

Mellilotus alba(white sweet clover) and hairy vetch will be great honey plants and will also fix nitrogen naturally to improve soil quality.

[bulldogger]

Any plants suggestions for a small yard or garden for nectar and pollen?

[jacquelinefreeman]

Toss some sunflower seeds on the edges. Our bees just loved them last year and they're nice to look at. When the nectar and pollen are done, the birds will eat the rest.

What's going to live in that pasture in the future? I like to seed the sides of gardens and pastures with most any kind of blooming herbs which the bees use as medicine. Thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano. These are things that don't need hardly any care once they sprout and they're really helpful to bee health.

warmly,
Jacqueline Freeman
Friendly Haven Rise Farm
www.FriendlyHaven.com

[ryanb]

John, what is a good place to get the white sweet clover seeds for a small location?

[jacquelinefreeman]

I'm putting in a lot of phacelia, too. It's a flower that blooms for 45-60 days and has nectar available all day long. Most plants are either morning, midday or later in the day nectar plants. We also grow sunflowers and it's rare you find less than 5-6 on each plant. Other biggies for our bees are cardoon (8' high artichoke family, GREAT flower heads that drip with nectar ever day), lots of flowering herbs (which the bees use as medicine), and borage which is very easy to grow and flowers from June right up to frost.

warmly,
Jacqueline Freeman
Friendly Haven Rise Farm
check out our bee classes:
www.FriendlyHaven.com/classes.html