Traditional lawns that require ripping up a piece of land, removing any plant life, and then planting and growing a uniform type of grass, which society dictates must be maintained in a certain way, are not the only option for your yard. Lifehacker writer A.A.Newton wrote a lawn explainer in September. One of those options is a bee lawn, which is better for the environment than a traditional lawn. What to know and how to grow one is here. We need bees to pollinate our plants and crops so it's in our best interest to keep them around. One way to do that is by planting and maintaining a bee lawn, which is a combination of low-growing flowers and turf grasses. Some of the low-growing flowering plants are what we have been conditioned to believe are weeds, so if you have a lawn traditionalist in your household, they may not be thrilled with your bee lawn. It's up to you to decide how to maintain the lawn, and that can include mowing it. The ideal height of a bee lawn is three inches, according to the Minnesota Horticultural Society. Everything will grow back.
What is a ‘bee lawn’?
bee lawns are a win for bees, and here is a quick rundown of some of their other benefits.
It's not hard to start a bee lawn, but you have to know what you're doing in order to make it work.
Most bee lawns consist of a mix of flowering plants and turf grasses, which do just fine being mowed and stepped on constantly. Some flowering plants are better suited for bee lawns than others. Plants for a bee lawn must be listed by the University of Minnesota Extension.
There are a few flowering plants that work well in bee lawns.
The experts at UME recommend using a mix of fine fescues, which are standard perennial turf grasses.
Kentucky bluegrass will work for a bee lawn, but it needs more water andfertilizer than the fine fescues, making it less eco-friendly.
Once you know where the bee lawn is going, it's time to plant. The best time to establish a bee lawn is in the spring and late fall.
There are two ways to convert land into a bee lawn, overseeding and renovation, and your decision should be based on what is currently growing in your yard. The UME has several detailed guides to starting a bee lawn, but here are some general tips as to when it's best to opt for each method.
Overseeding is recommended.
It's recommended that the renovation is done.
Overseeding is less work than renovation.
You can use UME's explanations and instructions to walk through the prepping and seeding processes. Be patient. In its first year, your bee lawn will probably be mostly turf grass, with some foliage from the flowering plants mixed in. The second year is when the foliage and flowers are meant to be found, as well as the bees.
You can put a sign up in your yard that says you have a bee lawn. It can be a way to answer any questions and address any concerns from neighbors about why your lawn looks different than others on the block, as well as raising awareness of bee lawns in general.
The University of Minnesota and the U.S. Forest Service have bee lawn signs that you can download and print.
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