Fascinatingly, our biosphere works based on symbioses between two or more species. That is, one species has something to give and something that it needs; this is provided by the other species, which in turn receives something back from this species. This kind of symbiosis can be observed all over our ecosystem. Bees and flowers have such a relationship that helps the ecosystem maintain a harmonious balance. This blog post will discuss how bees and plants work together to create a mutually beneficial environment.
The benefits are a plethora. They do not just benefit these bees and flowers, the pollination, in turn, can turn these flowers into commodities. Knowing how to care for these bees and plants will help us in no small amount as the profits in taking up horticulture and apiculture are virtually two-fold, and potentially the process is even more profitable. Let us have a look-see on how to care for bees and these flowering plants and also talk about which plants would be ideal in this regard.
Why is Pollination Important?
Flowers give bees nectar; in return, the bees help pollinate the flowers. Basically, these tiny wingmen (get it?) help flowers form seeds. In other words, pollination occurs when pollen goes from stamen to pistil. This makes the pistil create a seed. Such a mechanism is obviously important as without seeds; it would be a hassle to plant a crop.
Bees play an important part in pollination by transporting pollen from one blossom to another. Flowers entice them with their vivid colours and tasty nectar. Bees acquire nectar from flowers in exchange for their services, which they utilise to manufacture honey. Honey is food and fuel for bees; they need it to fly around and pollinate the flowers.
How to Attract Bees to Your Farm
Seeing how useful these bees are to your farmland, you would raise this question: How do I attract bees to my farm? Look no further, here’s the exact advice you need:
Give preference to plants with a lot of nectar content
- For example, lavender, sunflowers, and daisies are flowers with high nectar content.
- You can choose bright flowers, as that is generally a guideline to know which flowers have a lot of nectars, and this can attract bees.
- Plant the flowers in threes or more to create a cluster of flowers that bees can easily find.
Provide a source of water
- Bees need water to survive and will visit your farm if you give them with a source of water.
- Place a dish that’s filled with water in your garden.
- Keep on changing the water every few days to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Create a bee-friendly environment
- Pesticides and chemicals are basically enemies to bees. So keep the use to a minimum, and go for organic planting.
- Instead, use natural alternatives such as neem oil and compost.
Caring for Bees
This section is all about how to protect and care for your bees so that they can yield you great profits.
Give them a Home
- Bees need a safe and comfortable home to thrive.
- Helping the bees through fortifying their hive against rain and winds would help. Or you can give them a bee box as well.
- Sunlight is also important for the bees, so make sure you don’t fortify in a way that takes away the light.
Feed your bees
- Bees need a source of food to survive.
- You can feed them sugar water or honey when nectar is scarce.
- As mentioned before, they need fresh water as well.
Protect your bees from predators
- Every living being has a natural predator. Bees are no exception. You should protect them against birds and wasps.
- Build a fence around the hive or use a bee net. Both of these methods will help save them from predators.
- The area around the hive should not only be clean but also free from any debris.
Caring for Flowering Plants
Bees have a hard time with plants that don’t have flowers, so flowering plants is the only right way to go if you want to rear bees. But how do you care for flowering plants? Again, we have got you covered:
Choose the right plants
- For easy growth, it is ideal to choose plants that are native to your region.
- Local climate and soil conditions play a major role in making your flower plant grow well. Choose one that goes well with at least the climate because you can fix your soil by preparing it right. For example, you can till and add materials that would make it meet the plant’s growing requirements. Here’s what you have to do. Get a proper tractor, and you can accomplish this easily. For anyone looking for the right kind of tractor for their farms, the Swaraj 834 is one of the best tractors you can go for.
- They are also more likely to attract local bees and other pollinators.
Provide the right environment
- Now that climate and soil are sorted, you have to figure out sunlight and water.
- Your farm should receive both of these in good amounts for your flowering plants to grow right.
- Choose the right spot, and irrigate your land.
Avoid using pesticides
- As mentioned before, chemicals are the enemies of bees.
- Therefore, avoid using chemical pesticides and fertilizers in your garden.
- Instead, use natural alternatives such as neem oil and compost.
Conclusion
Make sure you follow the given tips so that you can strike a harmonious balance between horticulture and apiculture so that you can yield the most out of your farm business. Make sure that the soil undergoes proper preparation before getting into farming, and an ideal tractor that can help you in this process is the Swaraj 963. Given that you have prepared the land right, planted the right kind of flowers for your region, given it the right amount of attention, and have and care for bees, you can yield twice the profit with honey and flowers!