Bee Borage for Healthy Bees

by Sharon
(Oregon)

We live in rural Oregon and scatter bee borage seed around fruit and nut trees as well as on bare ground.

We use no pesticides or man made chemicals on the property, so we have a good selection of wild bees.

The bee borage flower is their favorite. Wild honeybees and bumblebees check their flowers many times daily.

A local honey producer says that the hives he puts on our property are the most productive in the valley. Without our bee borage, wild areas, and chemical-free organic agriculture, he would have gone out of business.

We are looking into more habitat support for our wild bees and other pollinating insects.

Do you have suggestions about this?

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Sharon,

Planting wildflowers for honey bees and other insects is a wonderful thing to do - plant as much as you can! Many great honey bee plants are also great soil builders.

I can't offer specific suggestions since I live in Texas, and what does well here might not be at all adapted to the Northwest.

I would recommend contacting the local beekeepers association for recommendations for plants that offer good bee forage and grows well in your area. Here's a link to the Oregon Beekeepers Association. I bet they can offer some great suggestions.

I'll bet they also will thank you for helping the bees, and I thank you too!