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The Universal Question From Both Beekeepers and Landowners
By: James E. Tew
Ohio State, Wooster, Ohio.
Somewhere there is a perfect world
In my mind’s eye, the sky is usually deep blue interrupted only by floating, white, fluffy clouds. In my mind-place, it does rain occasionally, but when it does, the rain is gentle and warm. The blue sky and the warm rain provide some of the fundamentals that my plants need to grow into lush, happy plants. In this perfect world, colorful wildflowers are always in bloom eagerly growing wherever I drop a few seeds. There are no weeds anywhere. Butterflies are drifting about and a blue bird is perched on the peak of my storage barn. My bees look great but, in this idealized world, they always look great.
Of course, this is not my real world – even though a warm, gentle rain is presently falling and there really was a bluebird perched on the peak of my storage barn yesterday. But I have trouble with the wildflower thing – unless you count dandelions and ground ivy as wildflowers. While it’s not hopeless, my perfect world does need some work. Maybe I should plant more flowers.
Here’s the rub…
I need flowers in my bee life – I need lots of flowers in my bee life. Almost daily, I talk about bees and flowers. I photograph bees on flowers. I discuss the relationship of bees and flowers to honey. While I deeply appreciate flowers, I am not an accomplished gardener – yet. I plan to be one day. Even now, right behind me as I write, I have a vintage 1974 Troy-Bilt “Big Red” Tiller. It needs work. I mean that is all I will need to be an expert gardener – right? Fire that machine up – rip up some grass and plant some flowers. That’s my fundamental plan.
I talk to people every week who would keep bees, “If they had more time.” So, there I am. I would be a much better gardener if I had more time. While I have a farming/gardening background, I have never farmed nor been much of a gardener. So, here’s the rub…while I am very comfortable discussing bees, I feel clumsy making specific recommendations for flowering plant selections for people who want to “plant something for their bees.”
Here’s the second rub…
For me, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recommend flowering plant selections for beekeeper use without knowing if the plants suggested are native, exotics or even invasive plant species. For instance, Cornflower (Centaura cyanus) is a great bee plant, but it is called Cornflower because it is sometimes a pest plant in English cornfields and is not native to the United States.
I have already discussed some of these issues in previous articles. The decision to plant selected hybrid varieties, wildflowers or native wildflowers is an individual one. Indeed, there are even different types of gardens.
Some examples of theme gardens are: Cutting garden (produces fresh cut flowers), pollinator garden (supports bees, butterflies, hummingbirds), cottage garden (lush crowded garden with long, overlapping blooming varieties), tropical garden (imported varieties frequently grown in water environments), edible garden (in addition to common vegetables, colorful vegetables such as Swiss chard, ornamental kale and lettuce, and giant leeks) and long-blooming perennial gardens (arranged to have something blooming throughout the season). One could even plant trees. Trees such as basswood, tulip poplar, and locust are excellent nectar sources.
“So, what should I plant for my bees?”
This question – or variations on it – is the reason I am hashing my way through this topic. How could such a direct question require such a contorted answer? The easy answer is, “Plant as much as you can of anything the bees find attractive.” The more complicated recommendation would be based on such questions as: (1) how much acreage (space) do you have, (2) are you planting for bees only or for honey crops, cover crops, or for forage crops and (3) what other blooming plants are in the vicinity of this planting? Normally, I break the question down into small areas and large areas.
Large areas (> one acre)
Areas as large as an acre could be planted to soil-enhancing plants such as buckwheat or White Dutch clover. A mixture of native wildflowers would convert the area to a spectacular display of color, but for even larger acreages, such plantings become too costly and impractical. Bees of all species and butterflies of all kinds will certainly visit such a large, visible planting. Obviously, it is presently not common for such large acreages to be allocated strictly to pollinators and their flowers.
Smaller areas (< one acre)
Increasingly, a variation on the question of what to plant for bees comes from non-beekeeping property owners who ask, “What can I plant to help the bees? I have been hearing that they are in trouble.” These questioners usually have small, simple flower garden spaces or other such areas. Even if the question is asked by a beekeeper, my answer is still pretty much the same – “Plant anything that you can grow and enjoy and that the bees are attracted to.” The actual number of resources from a small garden will only be enough for a few bees and butterflies, but most of the time only a few bees and butterflies are all that the questioner wanted. In theory, what you plant won’t matter, but (and it is a very BIG “but”), if many people provided such plantings, the resource does become significant, even very significant. These small individual plots are fertilized and watered throughout the Summer months when other blooming plants have waned. Even the water resource will be greatly appreciated by hot Summer bees that are out foraging for limited water resources.
The Bee Garden at Ohio State, Wooster, Ohio
When the Eastern Apiculture Society (EAS) meeting was held in Wooster in 1995, the local bee club, the Tri-County Beekeepers’ Association, was asked to help install a collection of bee plants in a small area called the Bee Garden. A bit of the EAS garden remains from that meeting held thirty-one years ago.
Originally, we had an empty English beehive in the middle of the garden for decorative purposes and a heavy wrought iron bench for reflective enjoyment. At its peak, in the garden and in the vicinity of the bee lab, about 75 species of flowering plant species were maintained. The 1/10th acre planting attract hordes of pollinators. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and syrphid flies are common visitors – as well as Japanese beetles. While a 1/10th acre flower garden may sound small, when weeding and managing time came, it was a significant amount of work.
The little garden was like a small regional, living library of bee plants. From my occasional walks in the garden, I am comfortable telling you that bees loved Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina) but the plant will not stay where I put it. It grew in the compost area and invaded surrounding plots. It even tried to grow in my lawn.
Bees of all species are absolutely goofy about blunt mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum). It is an unexciting looking plant with small, plain flowers. The bees and butterflies don’t see it that way at all. But my favorite garden plant is common English lavender. Bees love it and I love it. My bees and I agree on this divinely smelling plant.
Though there was a lot of bee activity in this garden throughout the blooming season, obviously there was not enough foraging potential for the bees to make a crop. Clearly, the garden helped, but just as clear is that there is not enough here for bees to thrive. So here is the truth – most small pollinator gardens are primarily there for aesthetic reasons and not purely for the pollinators’ benefit. I want to say again that having such a garden is a good thing for bees and for you but just don’t assume that having a small garden will carry the bees’ day.
Wildflowers and bees – a natural relationship
Maybe wildflower culturing has always been a big thing and I just missed it. Maybe I have just been sleeping through the wildflower event. Either way, wildflower seeds are readily available via the web. Seed varieties for every region of the U.S. are posted and, in some circles, wildflowers are all the rage. I have working plans to put out Midwest wildflower seed varieties in swaths in my main bee yard. My premise is that (1) I will not have to mow as much, (2) my yard will be beautified, (3) my bees will be (somewhat) assisted, (4) I will advance my identification abilities of Midwest native wildflowers. If I may, I refer you to my perfect world described in the first paragraph of this article – “colorful wild flowers are always in bloom eagerly growing wherever I drop a few seeds.” Not always.
Scruffy appearance at times
During the past two years, as we have tinkered with wildflower plots, I must admit that at times, these plots have a bit of a scruffy look about them. As I drive along some of Ohio’s roadways, there are frequently “no mow” areas where wildflowers were seeded. Sometimes they are beautiful while at other times, they are not pretty at all. I am still trying to get my arms around the fact that these plots may not always be presentable by current freshly-mowed-lawn standards.
Wildflower density
I didn’t have the opportunity to see naturally undisturbed seeded wildflower areas. They are long gone. Am I unintentionally planting too many varieties too close and too dense when I dump these seed mixes? I have no idea. I follow the instructions. Remember, I am not an accomplished gardener, but rather the flower-loving beekeeper. Even if they are too dense and with too many varieties, these flowering plots are a breath of flower-fresh air compared to just another green lawn. Am I unintentionally propagating wildflowers – but not native wildflowers? Does it even matter so long as they are not noxious species but rather species that are hardy, pretty, and benefit my bees?
Invasive wildflowers and flowering plants
I have written about beekeeping’s conundrum before – are our bees right or wrong to pollinate invasive, noxious plants? Some significantly good nectar and pollen plants are on some very bad plant variety lists. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), White and yellow sweet clover (Melilotus alba, M officinalis) and common privet (Ligustrum vulgare) are three common species that are unwanted in Ohio and in other states. I don’t want to argue with anyone but this is not a clear issue. In some instances, Common Privet was listed as a desirable shrub plant while in neighboring states, Common Privet was listed as an invasive exotic plant. Check with various invasive plant agencies in your state before making a commitment to plants that may not be desirable – even if bees do desire them.
What to plant for my bees?
Unless you have a large agricultural location, plant flowers and flowering plants that give both you and your bees pleasure. These plants should not be offensive to your environment and should stay where you plant them. If you have a lot of space, plant the traditional nectar and pollen crop that also complement the land. In every location in this country there are untold thousands of flowering plant types to choose from. You get to choose. If you want to go the wildflower route, log onto the web and search for wildflower seed producers in your area. I promise you they are waiting for your call.
A personal note
As a small personal memorial to my wife and a project that would keep me outdoors, last Spring I decided to put in a small pollinator garden. I employed a neighbor to use his tractor to till up my selected area. That resulted in a scruffy plot filled with disturbed grass and dying weeds.
I expected problems, but I got none, because almost nothing that I planted germinated. What few plants that did germinate, rabbits promptly ate. I’m going to try again this season (Spring 2026). I may just spend the Summer tilling the spot to keep the weeds and grass down and not really plant until next season. I don’t mean to become a gardener, but I just want a pleasant spot where I can enjoy my bees and my memories. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you for reading
Thanks for your time. I know you could have been doing something else.
Dr. James E. Tew
Emeritus Faculty, Entomology
The Ohio State University
tewbee2@gmail.com
Host, Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
www.honeybeeobscura.com
