I just finished reading For the Bees: A Handbook for Happy Beekeeping by Tara Dawn Chapman. A refreshing read for this beekeeper, about 5 years invested and counting. If we were in it for the honey harvest, we would be sorely disappointed! Like Ms. Chapman, we are beekeepers for the bees! They need all the help we can give them which takes a significant amount of personal time and investment while the honey is the sweet reward.
So this latest post is a brief detour from home organization inspiration to share how you can help the bees;
- Grow pollinating plants ~ it is not too late to plant some pollinators in your garden or planter this fall. As the summer season winds down, bees will be foraging far and wide for pollen to bring back to the hive. Just a month ago, I started Sunflower and Cosmos to bring some fall colour into the garden along with perennials, Black Eyed Susans & Cone Flowers. This is a good time to shop your local nursery even Canadian Tire, for perennials that have been marked down.
- Create a water source ~ Bees need a shallow source of water that is easy to access without drowning. We have a water fountain that is grand central station for the bees. Birdbaths are a great source for bees with a few rocks placed in the centre so they can land on them and drink. Another option is setting out a shallow dish of water with some marbles or pebbles. Then you can watch them come and go at the watering hole.
- Make your own Weed Control Solution ~ it breaks my heart when I see people spray their lawns with a commercial weed killer that will come in contact with bees, pets, bare feet, and wildlife when there is a safe and effective solution for the environment at a fraction of the cost. Mixing a homemade weed-killer “recipe” is usually just vinegar + salt + a little soap: 1 gallon white vinegar, 1 cup salt, 1 tablespoon dish soap
Bees are incredibly resilient creatures even surviving a few blunders by yours truly and yet somehow they figure things out and we are much the wiser beekeeper. Beekeeping is a lifelong journey and we hope to care for them for many years to come.