Did you know nearly all of our food relies on bees?
70 of the top 100 human crops require pollination by bees and these account for 90% of the world’s food supply!
Yet the bee population has steadily declined since the 1950s. Bees have been impacted by loss of habitat and biodiversity, pesticide use and climate change.
And this hasn’t affected just honeybees. Native pollinator species have declined dramatically, as well.
Save the Bees
One of the best actions we can take to #savethebees is to plant bee-friendly plants. Bee-friendly plants provide pollen (food) for the bees. And they also create habitat (or a home) for all kinds of insects to live.
A wildflower garden is a neat way to attract bees to your yard. A wildflower garden is a mix of fragrantly-scented flowers that will bloom throughout the growing season, providing pollen to bees and other pollinators. Usually a wildflower garden is perennial plants that will grow back year after year. It is great for a spot you wish to seed permanently.
But what if you have an area that you only want to seed for one year? In this area, you’d like to plant annual plants (plants that will only grow for one year). Our Bee Kind Soil Builder Seed Blend would be a perfect choice! It is a blend of seeds that were chosen because they are attractive to pollinators, including honeybees, native bees, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds. But it is also a regenerative seed blend, meaning that it has the ability to improve the soil while it grows. Improving soil health means we will be able to grow more nutritious food in the future!
Head to our website to learn more about our Bee Kind Soil Builder Blend. It is available for purchase in 50 g packs that are perfect for gardeners or 130 g packs that are appropriately sized for larger areas like homestead uses.
Applications
Do you have a poor area in your yard or garden that you'd like to use in the future?
Plant Bee Kind Soil Builder in an area where you wish to create ground cover while improving soil health and structure. These plants will prevent soil erosion, increase water filtration and decrease water run-off. At the same time, the beautiful flowers will attract birds, bees and other pollinators.
Wish to attract bees to your garden to improve yields?
Plant Bee Kind Soil Builder as a row within or as a border around your garden to attract bees and other pollinators to flowering garden crops like peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins and melons.
Would you like your yard and garden to be attractive to bees, hummingbirds, butterflies and moths?
Create a garden bed and plant Bee Kind Soil Builder to grow food for native pollinators and birds.
Are you planting lawn grass and you're worried about dry cracked soil?
Plant your grass seed and then gently rake the Bee Kind Soil Builder seed mix into the soil. The plants will grow into a "cover" to protect the grass seedlings and provide a healthy habitat for the seedlings to grow. The mix will die in the fall and your grass will remain to enjoy. Any bare spots can be filled with additional grass seed in the fall or spring.
Why is soil health important? Can't I just plant flowers?
While it is important to save the bees and feed ourselves (and also wildlife, other insects, and animals), it is also important to improve our soil so we can grow more nutritious food. What we see growing above the ground is just a small part of the natural world. Below ground there is an entire system of tiny microorganisms that are essential in creating healthy soils which are needed to create food for humans and for insects, wildlife and other animals.
Look around nature! Did you know all functioning plant systems rely on a mix of plant species to create a healthy habitat? A healthy natural plant system will always contain a mix of grasses, legumes and forbs. The Bee Kind Soil Builder seed blend contains legumes (clovers), grasses (millet and teff) and forbs (sunflower, phacelia, radish and turnip). And these species of plants have a variety of root systems. Some roots are long, tap roots that reach for nutrients lower in the soil. Other roots are more fibrous and branching. A variety of root system helps improve the soil structure and health by improving water filtration and increasing organic matter and nutrient cycling. Roots provide habitat for soil micro organisms.
Turnips and radishes are part of this blend because of their roots. Both varieties are edible, but likely not too tasty, as they are forage varieties. They are best left to grow and decay. The long deep tap root of the radish helps break up soil compaction and, once decayed, provides pathways for water and nutrients in the soil. The larger turnip tuber provides organic matter to the soil.
Head to our website to learn more about our Bee Kind Soil Builder Blend. It is available for purchase in 50 g packs that are perfect for gardeners or 130 g packs that are appropriately sized for larger areas like homestead uses.
