Growing a bee lawn in Medford - Ask Extension
We've been looking into transforming our front and rear lawns into "Bee Lawns". We have a number of flowering ground cover "volunteers" currently coh...
Knowledgebase
Growing a bee lawn in Medford #618593
Asked March 24, 2020, 5:59 PM EDT
We've been looking into transforming our front and rear lawns into "Bee Lawns". We have a number of flowering ground cover "volunteers" currently cohabiting the turf with what appears to be rye and fescue grass as well as moss. We plan to raise the mower height to 4" and scale back on the application of chemicals that are harmful to bees. What other groundcover seeds could we add into the mix as we get ready to reseed the lawn? Thanks for your advice.
Jackson County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi there,
Thank you for your inquiry, and I hope you are well during this time. You are off to a great start by mowing less and reducing your application of chemicals which may be harmful to pollinators.
I have attached several publications via links below. The first has specific information regarding reducing pollinator poisoning due to pesticide application. I also recommend checking out the Oregon Bee Project at www.oregonbeeproject.org, for valuable information on how to encourage healthy pollinator populations and habitat. I have also attached several publications outlining plants appropriate for "pollinator meadows", including cover crops like Austrian winter pea, crimson clover, and native wildflowers.
Please read over this material and feel free to email me to follow up directly with any questions you may have.
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw591.pdf
https://www.roguenativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Establishing_Pollinator_Meadows_from_Seed_Xerces_2015.pdf
https://www.roguenativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Farming_For_Native_Bees_Guidelines_Xerces_2015.pdf
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a849d4c8dd041c9c07a8e4c/t/5aa1a<personal data hidden>a69b74ed/<personal data hidden>01/fs304.pdf
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a849d4c8dd041c9c07a8e4c/t/5a9f2f95c830252adbb16c74/<personal data hidden>60/native-plant-pollinators-3-31-2016.pdf
Thank you for your inquiry, and I hope you are well during this time. You are off to a great start by mowing less and reducing your application of chemicals which may be harmful to pollinators.
I have attached several publications via links below. The first has specific information regarding reducing pollinator poisoning due to pesticide application. I also recommend checking out the Oregon Bee Project at www.oregonbeeproject.org, for valuable information on how to encourage healthy pollinator populations and habitat. I have also attached several publications outlining plants appropriate for "pollinator meadows", including cover crops like Austrian winter pea, crimson clover, and native wildflowers.
Please read over this material and feel free to email me to follow up directly with any questions you may have.
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw591.pdf
https://www.roguenativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Establishing_Pollinator_Meadows_from_Seed_Xerces_2015.pdf
https://www.roguenativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Farming_For_Native_Bees_Guidelines_Xerces_2015.pdf
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a849d4c8dd041c9c07a8e4c/t/5aa1a<personal data hidden>a69b74ed/<personal data hidden>01/fs304.pdf
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a849d4c8dd041c9c07a8e4c/t/5a9f2f95c830252adbb16c74/<personal data hidden>60/native-plant-pollinators-3-31-2016.pdf
