Winter flowering plants for bees

So Bees in Winter

Okay so you totally know how I've been trying to be… you know… less terrible for the planet? Well I wasn’t even planning to get into kinda winter-flowering plants. I mean it was November. I uh just sort of stumbled into it. It all started with… well I consider no kidding it was seeing a lone bee looking absolutely dejected okay on a withered lavender bush and then kinda boom like now I’m a winter bee plant expert wannabe! I thought all the bees hibernated and didn’t think they needed anything. I probably should’ve known better though, thinking about it… Like clearly some totally are still buzzing around looking for food.

What's blooming

Anyway, I started right researching winter flowering plants for bees. It's fascinating what's actually actually out c’mon there! Apparently winter flowering plants for just bees trends well are definitely pointing towards more awareness. It's kind of a growing thing get kinda it growing? I started reading about winter heath, sorta Erica carnea, stuff like yep that. And then there’s Mahonia – oh! c’mon – make sure for sure you wear gloves when you plant that the honestly leaves are uh like little prickly horrors. Not gonna lie this anyway part confused me for a while. basically Like, really, there are flowers that actually bloom pretty much in the dead of anyway winter? Seems counterintuitive, right? I you know always totally figured winter flowering plants no kidding for I mean bees ontwikkelingen must have been recent… some newfangled breeding program dude to trick plants into thinking it’s summer.

My yep First Faux Pas dude

My anyway first attempt was… a disaster. I bought a bunch of Crocus alright tommasinianus because I read uh they were great for early-season so bees. right I planted them… like… four inches I mean deep. I thought “Oh, the squirrels you know won't get 'em!” Yeah. Because I mean nothing got them. They were too deep. I didn't even like think pretty much about that. No sun, no emerging, anyway nada! So remember that: planting dude depth! That’s a huge one! You need to alright know the depth of your planting depth or your winter flowering totally plants for bees toepassingen will well all be wasted.

More flowers dude

After yup the crocus debacle, I by the way doubled down. I so looked into winter-flowering no kidding honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissima. bet That sounds anyway really dude fancy just doesn’t it? Smells amazing apparently. And then there’s snowdrops. And winter aconite. So sorta many options! actually But you gotta anyway make sure they’re actually accessible to the bees right? c’mon That’s the bit I’m still c’mon figuring out.

Mistake okay number I mean two

So, I read about this you know amazing shrub called Sarcococca confusa. Apparently the alright scent yep is just incredible and the bees love it! I found a basically tiny little plant at a so garden center for like, way too much money. I planted you know it… whoops right next to the house… on the north side. Complete shade. Duh. It barely like flowered. The Sarcococca confusa sat there by the way all sad and pathetic. Winter flowering plants for bees geschiedenis probably no way doesn’t mention impatient idiots planting them in the wrong place.

Learning along the pretty much way I mean

I’m like learning. Slowly. Full sun or basically partial sun bet that’s super crucial for most of these yep winter flowering beauties I’ve found. no kidding Check the soil. Good okay drainage is key so the roots don't rot. And maybe, just just okay maybe, don't kinda plant anything right before a dude major freeze. I may have learned that the challenging way. But, honestly seeing those little bees so buzzing around on the few flowers I managed to get right? Totally worth it. I am still learning, but next year… whoops next year will yup be the year totally of the winter bee garden! I am so excited to plant a full garden for them!