A bee pasture should not be missing in a natural garden. The options range from species-rich flower strips to flowering solitaires. Immerse yourself in the colorful world of swarming forage plants for honey bees, wild bees, bumblebees and Co. These instructions explain how to set up a bee pasture in the garden and on the balcony in an exemplary manner.

Bees love variety

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Seed bee pasture
  3. Sowing Instructions
  4. green manure
  5. Nectar buffet Plant selection
  6. Planting instructions bed
  7. Balcony box plant instructions
  8. frequently asked Questions

    9. the essentials in brief

    • Bee pastures should always be grown annually, as they become very weedy in the second year.
    • 5 to 10g of seeds per square meter are dispensed, rolled and watered in a chessboard pattern.
    • The mixtures of Veitshöchheim bee pasture, Bingenheimer Saatgut bee pasture and Schönhangen bee pasture are particularly popular.

    Create bee pasture - tips for premium seeds

    Nectar content and pollen abundance are the focus when selecting bee pastures. Honeybees, wild bees and bumblebees don't give a damn about the picturesque beauty of a plant, as they strive for a bubbly food source. In order to enrich the bee-friendly garden and balcony with generous forage plants, the following table presents recommended seeds:

    Surname location suitable for annual/perennial price
    Veitshöchheim bee pasture south Sun garden Mixture of annuals, biennials and perennials from 30 EUR/1 kg bag
    Kiepenkerl bee pasture Sun to semi-shade garden, open field perennial from EUR 3.99/5-8 m²
    Mössinger bee pasture Sun to semi-shade balcony annual from 5 EUR/3 m²
    Bingenheim seed bee pasture Sun to semi-shade Open land, perennial bed annual flower seeds from EUR 1.77/4 m²
    Stretch bee pasture Sun Garden, open land, herbaceous border annual flower seeds from EUR 3.99/6 m²
    Schönhagen bee pasture Sun to semi-shade garden, open spaces annual flowering mix from EUR 10.60/40 m²
    Tubingen bee pasture Sun to semi-shade Garden, border of perennials, open land, strip of trees annual flowering mix from EUR 12.30/1 kg bag
    Blooming bee pasture Sun Garden, bed, open field annual flower mix from EUR 19.95/1 kg bag
    Syngenta Insect Splendor Sun Garden, border of perennials, open land annual flowering mix from EUR 3.45/1 kg bag

    Notes on the seed

    The selection of seeds is large

    The proven Veitshöchheimer Bienenweide seed mixture is available in three versions. In addition to the seeds for sunny locations, there are seeds for partial shade and shade, so that no gardener goes away empty-handed. A special advantage of the product is a balanced combination of annual and biennial flower seeds with wild herbs and perennials that are hardy and perennial.

    It has been found in practice that seed mixtures should always be cultivated as an annual, regardless of whether they contain perennial plant species. The massive weed infestation in the second year prompted experienced experts to make this recommendation.

    The product designation bee pasture hides the fact that a wide range of valuable useful insects also feasts on the rich food supply. So don't be surprised if a colorful hodgepodge of bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hoverflies and other insects appears after sowing your favorite flowering mixture.

    Flower mixtures in the test

    When beginners set up a new bee pasture, they want to buy seed that has performed well in tests. The individual experiences of individual hobby gardeners only help to a limited extent when making a purchase decision, because local conditions, sowing and care have a significant influence on the result. The findings of experienced experts from the Bavarian State Institute for Horticulture are more meaningful. The gardeners sowed a commercially available seed mixture on each square meter. The experts went out twice a day to count the humming crowd. Three flower mixtures were particularly popular with bees, bumblebees and butterflies:

    • Veitshöchheim bee pasture
    • Bingenheim seed bee pasture
    • Schönhangener bee pasture

    The Veitshöchheim bee pasture is particularly popular with bees

    Furthermore, the experts counted a colorful array of winged beneficial insects, such as hoverflies, lacewings, dragonflies and ladybirds.

    tips

    Flowers and perennials with simple flowers are primarily suitable as bee pasture. Densely filled flowers may be a feast for the eyes. For busy honey and wild bees, the boastful flower shapes are a bitter disappointment, because nectar and pollen are scarce here.

    Create bee pasture - sowing instructions

    When to sow a bee pasture depends on local climatic conditions. Experience has shown that the time window opens in spring after the end of the main frost period. In principle, sowing is possible all year round as long as the ground is not frozen. Of course, it makes little sense to sow annual flowering mixtures in late summer. The best time for sowing is between the end of March and the end of May. How to do it right:

    1. Weed, rake and rake the soil for a finely crumbly seedbed
    2. Distribute seed manually or with spreaders
    3. Distribute seeds in a checkerboard pattern at 5 to 10 g per m²
    4. Roll out the seed mixture for a good soil contact
    5. pour on with a fine shower

    The seeds of a bee pasture are light germs. Do not work the seed into the soil. If the seeds get deeper than 0.5 cm into the soil, this impairs germination. A sowing aid is advisable for easier sowing and optimal mixing of the different grain sizes. For this purpose, mix the seeds with soybean meal beforehand.

    Bee pasture Neugersdorf with role model function

    The Neugersdorf bee pasture impressively demonstrates why the "Creating a bee pasture" project is not tied to a certain age. As the recipient of the Saxon Generations Prize, the municipality involves members of all ages in the creation of an exemplary bee pasture. Other activities, such as bee days and courses for new beekeepers underline the aura as a bee-friendly city.

    Green manure - bee pasture and soil improvement

    Phacelia is popular with bees and is a great green manure

    Premium seeds for bee pastures have another advantage that natural gardeners appreciate very much. Organic flowering mixtures, such as Schönhagener Bienenweide, acted as green manure. Plants contained in it, such as phacelia, cornflowers, marigolds, buckwheat, mustard and other honey plants prepare the soil perfectly when you create a vegetable bed. For this purpose, the sown plot is only cleared and raked in the following year, just before the planting season begins.

    digression

    Sponsorship turns fallow land into bee pasture

    Bee lovers without a garden or balcony sponsor a bee pasture. In many regions of Germany, initiatives are taking care of turning fallow plots into blooming landscapes. Projects in charge and funded by the UN are “Deutschland buzzt” and “Mellifera”. In 2022, for example, the "Become a flower sponsor" campaign was again rewarded with the honorary prize of the UN Decade on Biological Diversity. For a small fee for seeds, plants or a tree, private individuals, farmers' associations and unions will take care of the professional creation and care of a bee pasture.

    Nectar buffet for bees - tempting selection of plants

    If there is not enough space in the garden and on the balcony for a bee-friendly flower strip, nature lovers turn their attention to solitary plants with the potential for bee pasture. The following selection would like to inspire you to upgrade your bed and balcony box with a floral nectar and pollen buffet:

    shrubs heyday Colours perennials/flowers heyday Colours
    Broom (Cytisus) April to July yellow, pink, violet, orange-red Phacelia, tuft beautiful June to September light blue to violet
    Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) May to June White Silphie (Silphium perfoliatum) July to October yellow
    Blue rue (Perovskia atriplicifolia) July to October violet blue Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) April to June blue violet
    Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) May until October varied colors Sweet nettle (Agastache rugosa) July to September violet
    Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) July to October white, pink, red Dahlia (Dahlia) July to September white, red, violet, pink to multicolored
    Garden marshmallow (Hibiscus syriacus) June to September violet, white, red, pink, two-tone Marigold (tagetes) June to November yellow, yellow-brown, rusty red, orange
    Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) July to September violet, white, pink Gold lacquer (Erysimum) April to November violet purple
    Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) April to June white, violet Indian nettle July to October violet
    Deutzia (Deutzia rosea) June to July pink-white Sage (Salvia officinalis) May to September white, blue, violet, pink
    Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) July to August White Sunbride (Helenium) June to September yellow, red, two-tone
    Snow Heather (Erica carnea) March to May white, pink, red Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) May to July white to dark red

    Please always reach for the pure kind of a plant if it is intended for bee pasture. Most varieties are genetically modified, sexless hybrids that are completely uninteresting to insects. This connection can be easily understood using the example of a panicle hydrangea. The inflorescences of hydrangeas are made up of fertile, very small flowers and decorative, admittedly sterile show flowers. Only the fertile flowers are interesting as a source of nectar for bees, bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies. The rule of thumb for the selection of bee pastures is: the less influence the breeder has, the more valuable it is for insects.

    Ideas for representative rose species

    Roses also attract bees

    Among recommendable bee pastures, representative species are few and far between. Seeds sprout as floral chaos so that bees find a set table. Shrubs, perennials and flowers rarely stand out as a feast for the eyes if they promise insects a coveted feast for the palate. This does not mean that creative hobby gardeners have to give up their desire for a pretty garden. The queen of flowers is happy to take on the demanding role of bee and eye candy. We would like to recommend the following representative types of roses:

    • 'Apricot': Small shrub rose, blooms often with simple, apricot-colored flowers, height of growth 40-60 cm
    • 'Bicolor': small shrub rose, blooms often, open flowers in light yellow and pink, height of growth 40-60 cm
    • 'Fortuna': bed rose, blooms often, pink cup flowers, suitable as ground cover rose, height of growth 40-60 cm
    • 'Lupo': dwarf rose, blooms often, red to crimson, single flowers, height of growth 30-50 cm
    • 'Golden Showers': climbing rose, blooms often, golden-yellow, semi-double flowers, height of growth 200-250 cm
    • 'Lykkefund': rambler rose, blooms once, creamy white flowers with a yellow centre, height of growth 500-700 cm

    A moderate pruning at the right time elicits a much-loved second bloom from roses in the garden and on the balcony. Slightly cut back a bed rose, dwarf rose or climbing rose that blooms frequently after the first bloom, to clear the way for more nectar-rich flowers. Only once-blooming rambler roses can be cut into shape once in February from the fifth year of growth.

    Virtual herbarium provides details

    This table gives a first insight into the exuberant variety of native shrubs, perennials, herbs and flowers that excel as pasture for bees. Detailed information is presented in the virtual herbarium of the ambitious "Honeymaker Bee Pasture" project. Browse hundreds of bee food plants to create the ideal combination for your garden and window box. The wide range of bee-friendly plants also allows a creative color composition in yellow, pink, violet, blue and red that leaves nothing to be desired.

    Bee pasture - planting instructions for the bed

    In autumn, the flower bulbs are planted for next year

    Autumn is the best time to plant native shrubs and perennials. So that a gorse bee pasture meets all expectations, the sun-warmed soil in September and October offers ideal conditions. Hardy perennials, such as a cranesbill bee pasture, also benefit from these advantages. How to properly plant flowers in the garden:

    1. soak potted root ball in water
    2. dig a spacious planting pit
    3. Enrich the excavation to a third with compost
    4. Repot the plant and plant in the center using the enriched soil
    5. maintain previous planting depth
    6. Press and water the soil

    If it is a shrub, please cut back all shoots by a third or half. With a plant pruning, you activate a bushy branching on shrubs such as broom or lilac, which leads to a lush flowering with high nectar yield for bees. Please select a bud, a leaf or a leaf node as the intersection point. There you put the freshly sharpened scissors a few millimeters above the knot.

    Balcony box as bee pasture - planting instructions for beginners

    If clusters of beautiful flowers, dahlias, sage, lavender and cornflowers thrive in boxes and tubs, your balcony is a popular destination for bees. In general, numerous herbs are very popular with insects thanks to their rich pollen and nectar supply, such as oregano, lemon balm, peppermint and thyme. The best time to plant is between mid-April and mid-May. As a substrate, we recommend peat-free herbal soil or potting soil thinned with sand. This is how you plant plants for bees in the balcony box correctly:

    1. place potted seedlings in water until no more air bubbles rise
    2. Distribute shards of clay or expanded clay balls on the bottom of the box as drainage
    3. Cover drainage with air- and water-permeable fleece to protect against siltation
    4. Fill in the substrate halfway up the box
    5. Dig suitable planting holes at a distance of 5 to 15 cm
    6. Pot out and plant in water-soaked root balls
    7. Fill up with substrate while maintaining the previous planting depth up to a pouring edge of 2-4 cm
    8. Water the bee pasture in the box

    In the sunny location, flowering plants unfold in all their splendour. Before that, perennials and flowers should go through an acclimatization phase in order to get used to direct sunlight. For this purpose, place the balcony box in a warm, semi-shady place for a week.

    Bees can also be lured onto the balcony

    frequently asked Questions

    Can you recommend a bushy plant with purple flowers that provides food for bees, bumblebees and butterflies?

    If you have a bushy shrub in mind, we recommend the magnificent garden marshmallow as bee pasture. The Asian ornamental tree grows 150 to 350 centimeters high and is ideal as a solitaire and hedge. From July to October, the purple flowers attract hordes of bees, bumblebees and butterflies. A prime example of a bushy perennial with purple flowers is the marvelous phacelia, also known by the aptly names Tufted Beauty and Bee Willow.

    Is there a tree that is particularly suitable for bee pasture?

    If bees had a say in the choice of house tree, they would advocate the thousand-flowering shrub. The opulent flowering tree initially thrives in a bushy to shrub-like form, before turning into a multi-stemmed tree after a while. From July to August, a fragrant explosion of flowers unfolds, which causes enthusiasm as a pasture for butterflies and bees. The birds in the garden really appreciate the nutritious berries.

    How can I create a bee pasture for free?

    Free seeds for bee pastures can be obtained at irregular intervals. Supermarkets and discounters demonstrate their closeness to nature by giving each customer a sachet of seeds at the checkout. In 2022, for example, Lidl gave all customers a portion of Bayer bee pasture free of charge.Antenne Bayern and Dehner carried out a joint campaign to promote more flower strips in Bavaria by giving customers in the Dehner garden center free seeds if they knew the password.

    Our front yard is on the north side. What is the possibility of creating a bee pasture in the shady location?

    Where light is scarce, native wildflowers and perennials thrive. With its "organic wild flower mixture shady" the manufacturer Sativa meets your wishes. It contains the seeds of 24 shade-tolerant wildflowers. These include wood anemones, wood carnations, wild garlic and other floral survivors that bloom even in the shade. If you green the house wall with late-flowering ivy, the food supply for insects in autumn is guaranteed. What all plants have in common is a rich supply of pollen and nectar, which bees, bumblebees and butterflies really appreciate.

    We want to plant a tree as bee pasture, but we don't want to go empty-handed and harvest delicious fruit. Which tree species are considered?

    Apple (Malus domestica) and pear (Pyrus) have proven to be particularly useful for bees. Both fruit trees blossom in mid-April and provide bees with an abundance of valuable nectar and pollen. The sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is less well-known as a bee pasture. Its inconspicuous flowers invite wild and honey bees to the table from June. For lovers of sour fruits, we recommend the local cornel (Cornus mas), which provides early starters among the insects with food from March.

    I would like to make a contribution to alleviate the acute food shortages of bees in early spring and late autumn. With which plants does this work?

    The first nectar and pollen donors of the year are black hellebore (Helleborus niger), daisy (Bellis perennis), snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and hazelnut (Corylus avellana). So that bees and bumblebees don't go hungry in late autumn, we recommend Tufted Bees (Phacelia), Cranesbill (Geranium), Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) and Deadnettle (Lamium album) for the planting plan. The latter bears the apt middle name bee suck.

    tips

    The German Nature Conservation Union (NABU) explicitly refers to the preservation of an autumn life-giver for bees. Evergreen Ivy blooms when most sources of nectar have dried up. From the end of August to December, the inconspicuous flower prepares a set table for busy bees, bumblebees and other insects. So that ivy can fulfill its task as valuable bee pasture, attentive hobby gardeners only cut the climbing plant in late winter.

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Animals in the garden