As of: April 8, 2024, 8:00 a.m
By: Larissa Strohbusch
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Bees are threatened - but fortunately everyone can help. You can support the little beneficial insects with a bee-friendly garden or balcony.
What could be nicer than when it hums and hums in the garden? Admittedly, not everyone is an insect lover. Nevertheless, bee-friendly gardens are valuable: Although over 500 species of bees live in Germany, many of them are threatened because they cannot find enough nesting places or food - or become sick from pesticides. This is not only fatal for the bees: we need the little buzzers to pollinate our crops. Without bee help, many plants cannot bear fruit and plates remain empty. The good news: Anyone with a garden or at least a mini balcony can help save the bees.
Suitable plants for bee pastures in the garden and balcony
A bee pasture attracts many beneficial insects such as the black and blue carpenter bee. © agrarmotive/IMAGO
Not every plant that blooms beautifully helps bees. Exotic flowers are not interesting for Maja and her friends. And others that look beautiful don't provide any food either. On the other hand, native, bee-friendly plants bloom colorfully and smell wonderful. And it doesn't just have to be flowers. Herbs, perennials and shrubs are also popular with beneficial insects.
Bee-friendly flowers:
Cosmea
lavender
Cornflowers
crocus
Marigolds
phlox
sunflowers
Bee perennials:
aster
Verbena
Stonecrop
thimble
cockade flower
Mullein
mallow
yarrow
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Herbs for the bee garden:
mint
oregano
rosemary
sage
rosemary
Lemon balm
Shrubs for bee pasture in the garden:
blackberry
Dog rose
raspberry
Hawthorn
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How to create a bee pasture in the garden
A bee-friendly garden is not particularly demanding. On the contrary: once you have created them, you don't have to do much anymore. The bee pasture is most beautiful when you simply let nature do its thing. Dried stalks serve as shelter and building material. Old flowers contain new seeds for the next season. How to proceed:
Stock up on a colorful selection of bee-friendly plants. In many places there are already ready-made seed mixtures for bee pasture. Make sure your plants have different flowering times so that the bees can find something from spring to fall. Mixtures that were developed by beekeepers are ideal.
Sowing is best done from March to May.
Find a sunny or semi-shady spot in your garden. It doesn't have to be big at all. The seeds do not grow on lawns - so you have to remove the turf. Now loosen the soil with a rake (promotional link). You don't have to fertilize with compost - bee-friendly plants don't need a lot of nutrients.
Now shake the seeds well and mix them with sand. This makes them easier to apply.
Spread the seeds generously over your bee bed. Then cover them lightly with soil and press the seeds firmly.
Now it's time to water, water, water and wait!
Set up a bee-friendly balcony
You don't need a garden to do something good for the bees. A pot on the balcony or even the windowsill is also a start. Plants that are well suited are poppies, lavender or daisies. Make sure the plants are sunny and sheltered from the wind and are easy for bees to find. Add a small bowl of water - then the little visitors will get something to drink. This is especially important on hot summer days. However, your balcony bee pasture should not be set up near a birdhouse - otherwise the small beneficial insects will end up in the bird's stomach.
Bee pasture in winter
Even in winter, your bee garden makes it easy for you. You don't have to cut the plants in the fall. The dried stalks provide shelter for insects and small mammals during the cold season. Some plants are also perennial. Therefore, do not clean your bed until spring. Shake out old stems - the dried flowers may still contain seeds that are now useful.