choicesnero.blogg.se - Blue bee arizona

Low traffic areas around your home, like a side yard or a portion of your lawn that doesn’t have much foot traffic.Many wild bees nest in the ground and prefer undisturbed areas with loose, un-mulched soil. “Use fine fescue ( Festuca brevipila) grasses, which require less water, fertilizer, and mowing than conventional Kentucky bluegrass lawns,” says James Wolfin, a graduate research assistant working on the University of Minnesota’s bee lawn project. Aerate and overseed lawns with bee-friendly fescues, clovers, creeping thyme, or self heal. Native plants and more-diverse landscapes also contribute to a healthy bee population.

The overall goal of a bee lawn: Instead of using one type of grass, use a seed mix with several different types of grass and low-growing perennials that bloom at other times of the year. Photo credit: Spivak Bee Lab and Watkins Turfgrass Science Lab, University of Minnesota. Graduate Research Assistant James Wolfin with some of his friends.

Self-heal ( Prunella vulgaris): A member of the mint family, it is native to almost every state, including Alaska, and is a favorite among pollinators.

With a clover lawn, you may save time, money, and water while providing pollinator habitat.

Dutch white clover ( Trifolium repens): Before the 1950s, clover was common in the United States.

Their broadleaf habit makes them excellent companion plants in a traditional lawn because they help shade out weeds.

Violets ( Viola sororia): In addition to being beautiful bee havens, these early purple blossoms and wide leaves form a canopy that blocks rival plants from growing in your yard.

Other grasses: Other turf grasses aren’t as well suited for a bee lawn, but you could always substitute that turf with native grasses for an even more eco-friendly lawn.įlowering plants are best if seeded into your lawn in the spring.

However, it requires more fertilizer and water than fine fescue.

Kentucky bluegrass: Kentucky bluegrass is a good option because of its growth habit and compatibility with bee lawn flowers.

Fine fescue is the best option but all the fescues are bee-lawn-friendly. Fescues: Lawns overseeded with these grasses are low-maintenance, and adding pollinator-friendly plants improves their tolerance to heavy foot traffic.The main grass types used on a bee lawn are cool-season grasses, which do well if seeded in the fall. The essential elements for a bee lawn are bee-friendly grass and low-growing, blooming plants that can survive foot traffic and add color to your lawn. Although bees are attracted to a wide range of vegetation, only a few are suitable for lawns. When you plant is determined by what you plant.