Why? Because bees love wildflowers and we badly need bees.
GRATEFUL FACT
What you had for breakfast today - jam, toast, fruit, muesli, coffee - all of it was brought to you by bees.
Let’s start with what a bee bomb actually is! They are little solid blocks of compost or clay containing wildflower seed, that you simply throw on a bare patch of earth or your flower beds. Up come the wild flowers…and then come the bees. No Monty Don skills required!
But why do we need bees so badly?
Thanks to excessive use of pesticides, intensive farming, destruction of woodlands and now climate change, our beloved bee populations are severely under threat. Apart from the calamity of the potential extinction of a species that has been around for millions of years, it also spells big trouble for our food supply. Bees pollinate a third of the food we eat. The simple equation?
No bees = no fertilised plants = not much food.
Not wind, nor birds, nor other insects, can even come close to how widely the bees pollinate the plants on our planet. They’re not called busy for no reason. So, let’s get busy bringing the precious little stripey buzzers back.
Ok, so how do we do that?
Let’s start with our own gardens. Here’s how…
Treat yourself to a bee bomb! We love the hand made ones from the Yorkshire woodland and nature project - Make It Wild. The seeds are selected from native flowers, packed in a special peat free, organic compost mixture, to protect them from being eaten by the birds. Simply scatter in your garden or beds. Let the sun and rain do the rest.
The flowers will most likely take a year or so before the meadow buttercups, cowslips, forget-me-nots, foxgloves, cornflowers, and field poppies appear. But as we know, all good things come to those who wait. Next…the bees. Heaven.
Note: Because bees get severely damaged by pesticides it’s another reason for us to not use them in our gardens. We’ll do a separate action on going pesticide free soon.
Post your bee tips or questions in the box below, or on our socials. And…is there something you’re proud of, big or small (a pesticide shunned, a seasonal veggie bought)? Email us, so we can feature you on our Weekly Shout Out. Everyone loves it and it’s a real boost, don’t be shy!
How much do they cost?
Those from Make It Wild normally cost £7.80 (plus postage) but they’ve got a special UK Lockdown offer on at the mo so you can nab some for £6.90 (plus postage) and they’ll include a personalised message if you want to send them as a gift. They arrive wrapped in lovely recycled fabric and are posted in a pre-used envelope. No waste. We love.
We…
Aimee: Sonia sent me these as a surprise! It was a lovely gift to receive in the post when I’m stuck at home on my own. My garden is in need of a complete overhaul so this has spurred me on - first step is to choose a patch for my beautiful wildflowers to grow!
Sonia: I love poppies and cornflowers and wild, whimsical gardens. Bombs scattered, me waiting and bees informed. So excited about this.
“Bees mean Heinz ”
Photo: Jenna Lee