“bees are the batteries of orchards, gardens, guard them”
Carol Ann Duffy
We have over 50 Applewood homes that have taken the Bee Safe pledge. You’ll see our houses designated with the Bee Safe yard signs.
Won’t you join us?
Want to see inside a live beehive? Check out this 24/7 livestream of a hive.
March Pollinator Task
Don’t rake the leaves just yet…
So you left your leaves on garden beds and in nooks and crannies of your yard last Fall in order to create shelter for native pollinators and other wildlife? Good job! You made a difference to our many ground-nesting and leaf-burrowing bees, like bumblebee queens! And now you can feel Spring coming – days are lengthening, you are planning your garden and thinking about impending 60-degree days.
Think about:
- Wait a bit longer on the raking.
- Sharpen your tools, clean out your potting shed, prune your shrubs and order your seeds.
- The bees and your perennials will thank you!
April Pollinator Task
It’s time to plant.
Whether you are shrinking your lawn to make more beds or just updating what you have, it’s a good time to think about your yard and garden as habitat and plan to support pollinators!
Here are some tips:
- Plant more natives, including trees and shrubs
- Make sure something is blooming from early Spring to late Fall
- Plant in swaths instead of individual plants so insects can forage more efficiently
- Plant flowers of different shapes and sizes that attract different pollinators
- Leave some bare ground for nesting
- Spend the extra time to source as many plants as possible from growers that don’t use systemic pesticides – ask at your local nursery
This is a great resource for Front Range native plant lists, designs and inspiration to get you started: extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/native/FrontRange.pdf
May Pollinator Task
What can we do in May to help our pollinators?
Source pesticide-free plants for our gardens!
Although public awareness on this issue is heightened, the use of systemic pesticides (including neonicotinoids) in wholesale and retail nurseries continues and it’s hard to trace a plant from seed to start to retail.
This list will help you understand the issues and empower you to talk to your nursery about their plants! Buying small and local gets you a step ahead!
Yard Signs
A couple years ago, we started sharing bee yard signs with our beautiful Bee Friendly design. Now, you can see dozens of houses in the area with the sign, showing that they have taken the Bee Safe Pledge. Click here to learn about getting your yard sign!
Pollinator-friendly Yards
Okay, so does this mean you can’t have a “nice” yard? No way! Yes, let’s challenge what we view to be a nice yard. Let’s create habitats that can sustain our ecosystem. For some tips and resources to make your home more pollinator-friendly, click here!
Also here is a fabulous list of pollinator plants for Colorado yards thanks to Denver Urban Gardens.
Beekeeping
Would you like to learn about beekeeping? Make sure you’re on our mailing list to stay in the loop about our offerings. Also, click here to learn about our nearby Jeffco Beekeepers Association that some Sustainable Applewood members participate in.
Bee Swarms
At certain times of the year, you may end up seeing a swarm on a nearby bush or tree. Swarms are a way that hives reproduce. Click here to learn about contacting a nearby beekeeper who will safely remove the hive for free!
Honey 101
Many people don’t realize the nuances of honey. Click here to learn fascinating details about the honey industry. Lots more drama than you’d expect! It’s also covered in an episode of the Netflix series, Rotten. Be sure to buy your honey from a local, trusted source!
Bee Events
If you’d like to know when we host a bee-centric event, be sure to sign up here for our newsletter. Additionally, if there’s an event you’d like to see or help host, please reach out to us!!
Without insect pollination, most of the soil-holding and soil-enriching plants of uncultivated areas would die out, with far-reaching consequences to the ecology of the whole region. Many herbs, shrubs, and trees of the forests and range depend on native insects for their reproduction; without these plants many wild animals and range stock would find little food. Now clean cultivation and the chemical destruction of hedgerows and weeds are eliminating the last sanctuaries of these pollinating insects and breaking the threads that bind life to life.
Rachel Carson
Sustainable Applewood 