Smart planting for healthy bees
Why Are Bees Important?
Imagine a world without strawberries, kiwifruit, apples, nuts, coffee, chocolate or even denim jeans! And that’s only the beginning.
One mouthful in three and nearly ¾ of the diversity of our daily food is directly attributed to Bee pollination. Billions of dollars in NZ export earnings depend on bee pollination. And so do many plants in your garden.
What Is Happening To Our Bees?
Honey bees all around the world are in decline because of Varroa mite infestations and other threats. Pesticide misuse is killing bees. Habitat degradation takes away flowers which supply nectar and pollen, their essential food. Bees are now dependent on humans to protect them.
What Can You Do About It? Bee Friendly!
Do not spray when plants are in flower or bees are present. Spray early morning or at sunset.
Provide fresh pesticide-free drinking water for bees.
Plant good nectar and pollen sources in your garden to nourish bees.
Bee-Friendly Kitchen & Herb Plant Suggestions
[one_half] Herbaceous
• Basil
• Chives
• Cucumber, melon
• Echinacea
• Pot marigold
• Sage
• Squash, pumpkin
• Sunflower
• Sweetcorn [/one_half]
[one_half_last] Trees, shrubs and climbers
• Apple
• Bay laurel
• Kiwifruit
• Lavender
• Lemon, orange, grapefruit
• Pear
• Plum, peach
• Rosemary [/one_half_last]
Reproduced from ‘Urban Trees for Bees’, a joint project of the National Beekeepers’ Association and Trees for Bees NZ.
For more information visit: www.nba.org.nz or www.treesforbeesnz.org