We have several honey bee hives in our yard and I am thrilled to say, they are happy bees. Over the past several weeks, we have opened the hives up, inspected them and made sure the colonies were healthy. We do this in the early morning when it is relatively cool here in North Carolina. This is a good time to work with bees because the hives are less active. We are respectful of the bees hard work and careful not to stress the hive. We are gentle and calm around our bees and they respond in kind. Honey bees are so important to humans as they help pollinate our gardens, orchards, and our food crops. We are dependent on the survival of all pollinators for the food we need to survive. Bees are responsible for pollinating approximately one-third of the food we consume in this country. We recognize that not everyone is able to raise bees, however, helping the bee population and other pollinators to thrive, is not difficult. One way to support bees (and other pollinators) is to plant a variety of flowers in your yard that aid pollinators and help with honey production. Bees are looking for two types of plants; flowers that provide nectar and ones that provide pollen. Nectar provides carbohydrates and is an energy boost for bees. Pollen is their primary source of protein. Perennial flowers are a great option to assist honey bees. Perennials only need to be planted once and will grow back year after year. These plants are a great option to attract honey bees because after the initial planting and investment; these plants are typically easy to grow, and require very little attention to flourish. Here is a bee friendly list of beautiful perennial plants. Next time you are looking for flowers to plant, you may consider adding some of these to your yard: Cosmos Black-Eyed Susans Coneflowers Bee balm Mint Joe-Pye weed Liatris Milkweed Sunflower Zinnia Peony Phlox Salvia Sedum Coriander
Projects
It’s Hydrangea Season…
For many people, spring is a time when we spend more time outdoors. With the arrival of warmer weather, we emerge from our winter hibernation eager to enjoy the comfortable temperatures and soak in the sunshine. For us, this season means taking on spring cleaning, gardening and outdoor home projects. We are fortunate enough to have a yard that is big enough to grow flowers, ornamental plants, fruit trees, and a vegetable garden. All of these areas require attention this time of year. Although there is always more work to be done, it’s also hydrangea season, which means our favorite plants, hydrangeas, take center stage in our yard. Over the years, we have added several varieties of hydrangeas to our garden. Many of the plants around our home have been propagated from cuttings. Through trial and error, we have found two successful methods to propagate hydrangeas. The first method is the best way we have found to propagate in the spring. Step one is to take a cutting from a plant that has several leaf nodes. We try to take a branch from a plant that needs some reshaping. Carefully, remove lower leaves from the branch. Then, using a rooting hormone, we dip the bottom of the branch into the hormone and place the branch in a pot filled with good potting soil. Place the pot in a sheltered location for about a month. Make sure to water the cutting as needed. The second technique is the process that we use in the late summer and early fall. This process is easily done by taking a low-lying branch, partially burying it in the soil, then placing a rock on top to weigh it down. The branch will establish roots and can then be cut from the “mother” and transplanted to a new location in the spring. If you are in the Charlotte area and looking to add new varieties of hydrangeas to your garden without propagating, here are a few resources for purchasing them locally: Dearness Gardens Pike Nursery Lowes Home Improvement Home Depot We thoroughly enjoy seeing hydrangeas blooming in our yard. As an added bonus, take advantage of cool mornings to cut flowers and use them to brighten the inside of your home and share bouquets with friends. We love this set of 5 clear cylinder vases to showcase blooms. It’s hydrangea season, so whether you are growing your own or picking some up at a florist or local farmers market, enjoy them now! Here are some gorgeous images of our favorite blooms!
