The Buzz About Springtime Planning

In preparation for spring's awakening gardeners relish the arrival of our seed orders and begin to plan for their sprouting and planting out into the garden.

Plans are a great way to not waste a single square foot of growing space, laying out the various crops and scheduling their replacements as they mature later in the season to be ready for the warmer weather crops.

I am big on planning, whatever the project, I like to have a clear sequence in mind when I begin a project as often times something must be changed, 
moved or created before one can begin.

A well planned garden is much more likely to produce abundantly!

Such is the case with preparing for the keeping of bees

Now that you have ordered all your supplies...what else is there to do?

As the sun's rays begin to penetrate the cloud layer and the soil warms, it is also shedding it's rejuvenating warmth onto our insect friends who slowly emerge from their winter sleep and begin to venture out into the garden. 

As with all of us on waking the first course of action is to Break Our Fast.

(For myself, that usually consists of a large cup of coffee with honey and cream, cinnamon toast on the side!) 

For our insect friends, honey bees in particular, though they will be looking for nectar sources, their more immediately concern will be a water source.

This may not be entirely apparent when dreaming of nurturing your new hive and the delight of honey to come, but skip this step and there will be trouble ahead! 

Let us consider how to create the the Best Bee Watering Hole!

Step#1; Place a water source near the hive

If this step is neglected you may find your bees in the neighbors hot tub!
We can only imagine the conflicts that would create and then the battle of trying to convince those dear little foragers to alter their courses, well, have I mentioned how indifferent they are to mankind's intrusions? 

 Step #2; How to!

There are a few things to consider when setting up the water source; Bees do not like to get their feet wet! So a low, shallow basin of any design with stones that will allow them to remain above the water level but have cracks and crevices enough for them to unfurl their tongues into the water level is great. Even better is to plant pots of moss and nestle them beside and between the stones for both beauty and comfort for their watering time.

A simple plastic tray to act as the water reservoir filled with 4" plastic pots with mosses growing in them is actually a very functional and beautiful option.
Or you can create a beautiful water pond like the one above just for them!

Step #3; Let them Bee!

Use your imagination but be sure to put it is a place that won't temp other household pets to visit regularly, stinging cause pain and sadly kills the bee!

With these simple preparations done we are off to a great start, this is just the beginning, there is still more we can do to ensure the hive will survive and thrive....More on that next time!