Thursday, March 24, 2011

Bees

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 29:  Beekeeper and Chai...Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThey're small and fast. They make a buzzing sound that is furiously busy. When seen in close range, they instill in us, a knee-jerk reaction to run away and/or swat at them stupidly, making them mad, giving cause to sting you.

But did you know that bees are in integral part of any healthy garden?

If you answered "yes", then you can skip this post and get back to web surfing, Facebook, Twitter or whatever it is you were doing before you found this post.

If you answered "no", then here are a few things you need to know about bees for your garden.

1. Bees are pollinators, meaning, sure, they collect honey for the queen, but more importantly for your garden, they pollinate other fruits and vegetables.

2. Bees are your friends. They'll come around daily without asking. They won't bother you unless you try to take them away from their precious supply of pollen (see first paragraph above). Most importantly, bees are necessary and vital for the health of your garden.

3. So how do you attract bees? Bees love certain plants and herbs. Here's a partial list of plants to attract bees to your garden space, whether it's a small space in your yard or in a community garden.

Basil, cornflowers, dahlias, lavender, mint, poppies, rosemary and thyme.*

So remember, love those bees and remember...no swatting!



*This is a partial list taken from Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert

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