Bee lawns are a new pasturage alternative that is low - care , drought - liberal , and pollinator - friendly .
Flowering bee lawns are an excitinglawn alternativethat combines low - growing efflorescence with grass come . Traditional turf grass lawn come with serious cost to the environment ( not to refer your time and bank report ) by requiring frequent mowing , watering , weed killer , and fertilizer to thrive . It ’s small wonderment why some people are choose to hit their turf dope lawns exclusively and installmeadowscapes , xeriscapes , or artificial turf rather . ditch your lawn is a big whole tone , however . Bee lawns provide an eco - friendly selection for folks that are n’t quite quick to give up their grass .
geistreiches / Getty Images
Credit:geistreiches / Getty Images
Bee Lawn Benefits
Bee lawn are corking for pollinators ( hence their name ) . Bee lawns , to begin with develop by researcher at the University of Minnesota , fuse white clover , ledge - heal , andcreeping thymeflowers with okay Festuca elatior grass . They ’ve been found to draw over 50 mintage of beesand support a higher diversity of bees thanlawns with cloveralone .
“ There ’s a set of stake in facilitate pollinator community through knowing planting of these flowers , ” sound out Eric Watkins , a professor and turf grass specialist at the University of Minnesota who helped develop the bee lawn seed mix .
The benefit of bee lawn expand beyond pollinator , however . Bee lawn call for few inputs ( water system , mowing , fertilizer , and pesticides ) than traditional lawn . “ You ’re mowing less , you ’re water less , and you ’re not applying plant food that have the potential to runoff into nearby bodies of water , ” explicate James Wolfin , a preservation specialist at Twin City Seed Company , a commercial seed company based in Minnesota .
Credit:Anne Readel
For some people , thedrought tolerance of bee lawnsis even more authoritative than the benefits to pollinator , notes Watkins . “ People are really interested in growing gage that do n’t necessitate to be water as much or will do better during a drought . ”
How to Create a Bee Lawn
It ’s substantive to stick with some key steps when instal a bee lawn . Watkins stress not to get too frustrated if you ’re not successful on the first effort , however . “ Sometimes it ’s just how it is , specially with something that ’s newer . ”
1. Check your local rules.
Before installing any lawn alternative , check your local rule . Many municipalities and homeowners associations ( HOAs ) restrict what you’re able to do with your yard . You do n’t want to drop the fourth dimension and money installing a bee lawn only to find out it is n’t leave in your area .
2. Purchase a seed mix suitable for your region.
Because bee lawn seed is such a unexampled product , you might have trouble finding it at your local garden center . If it is n’t on their shelves yet , determine withyour local seed troupe . They will likely have come mixture cut for your local conditions . If they do n’t carry bee lawn source , it can be purchased from online companies .
Regardless of where you source your seed , verify it ’s desirable for your region . For example , the bee lawn seed develop at the University of Minnesota uses grasses and flowers adapted to the northern United States so it would n’t be the good option for phratry be in the south , explains Watkins . For southerners interested in bee lawn , the University of Mississippi is currently developing a bee lawn seed mixture specifically accommodate for the S , so sit tight and watch for next commercial-grade offerings .
3. Plant at the right time.
verify to check the planting recommendations for the ejaculate mix you buy . Bee lawn semen that turn back all right fescue sess require to be planted in either the saltation or fall when grow conditions are cool . bound is a great time to plant if you want straightaway result , says Wolfin , but it will require you to irrigate the new lawn all summer . If you want a less burdensome experience , late fall is skilful for plantingbecause you wo n’t have to irrigate the semen as much the following bounce .
4. Prepare and seed your site.
While you may slay be sod before seeding a bee lawn , it ’s not necessary in most spot . alternatively , prove overseeding which “ is a great option because it ’s so much comfortable both in the sense of the amount of attempt you have to put in and making it cost in effect , ” says Wolfin . To overseed , merely pout your lawn as low as potential , graze the clipping , scatter the seed into your existing lawn , and then lightly glance over the seed into the dirt .
Wolfin also recommend taking a few additional steps that can economize you money in the long campaign . If your internet site is heavily compacted from a quite a little of foot traffic , aerating the soilcan assist hugely . Alsotest your soilto find out if any amendments are postulate . “ A $ 20 grime test is plausibly the best 20 buck you could expend in landscaping , ” say Wolfin .
Anne Readel
5. Inform your neighbors.
check that to tell your neighbor what you ’re doing and why . Bee lawns generate very few complaints , in part because they look similar to traditional lawn . However , adding abee lawn signto your M can help clear up any potential confusion . When your neighbors understand what you ’re doing , they may even want to install a bee lawn in their own yard .
Tips for Maintaining a Bee Lawn
While set up a bee lawn claim some planning , maintaining them is relatively unproblematic . “ One of the unspoilt part about bee lawns is how easy they are to maintain relative to the typical turf grass lawn , ” says Wolfin .
Bee lawns onlyneed to be mowedtwo to four times per twelvemonth because they grow dim than traditional lawns . They do n’t require any fertilizer thanks to the clover adding nitrogen to the land . And they require very little watering because the grass and flora used have deep ascendent organization . Wolfin only recommends water bee lawn once every three weeks under normal conditions . And of course , do n’t apply herbicide to your bee lawn because “ it will vote out those lovely , delicate bee lawn flowers you worked so severely to get , ” explains Wolfin . If you do findweeds , slay them by hand .
Overall , bee lawn are a crushed - upkeep alternative to traditional lawns . They provide food for pollinators , reduce your environmental footprint , and add color to your grounds . In fact , once you install one , you ’ll wonder why you ever spend so much time and moneytending your sure-enough turf grass lawn .
Wolfin , J. , Watkins , E. , Lane , I.et al . Floral enhancement of turfgrass lawns benefits wild bees and honey bee ( Apis mellifera).Urban Ecosyst26 , 361–375 ( 2023 ) . https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-023-01339-7
