# Southwestern Pa. wildflowers to plant?



## ParanoidBeek (Aug 1, 2010)

Helloooo,
After watching my girls go crazy on the few butterfly weeds that have blossomed recently, I have decided to alot about 1/2 acre to plant for the bees. I know 1/2 acre is nothing, but anything helps.
The plan is to rototill it up, throw out some seed and let mother nature take over. I'm not going to be there weeding and playing with the wildflowers much. I'm looking for differant plants that will span the entire spring thru summer seasons supplying nector and pollen (remember, I know nothing about plants)
So far, I know I will plant some butterfly weed, borage, oregano and prob throw in some dutch clover. Any other thoughts and suggestions on what, how and when I should go about planting?

THANKS
SCOTT


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

Scott,
Welcome to the group; you will find lots of info on bee plants as you dig through the info here on the site. I can give you some localized suggestions since I’m only 100 miles or so away.
That is so cool and a half acre dedicated to bee plants is a very nice size plot. It will be difficult to achieve your multifaceted goal but not impossible. The only place you would have dutch clover is in the mowed pathway if you have one. Anise Hyssop is perennial and one of the best plants for bees so get a row of that in. You may like putting in some snowdrops, Siberian squills, and Mediterranean heather for spring flowers. If you have corners that will support trees then Pussy willows are great; the squills and snowdrops can be planted under the pussy willows. Along with your butterfly weed how about some iron weed, milkweed, hemp dogbane or thistle. Russian sage is good also. This is one of my favorites because I eat too! Red Raspberries. I have them and the bees love them. They are working on them from daylight to dark. They find flowers on my “Prelude” raspberries right beside ripe berries. Before that they were on the “Heritage” raspberries. I you still have another corner and would like a tree then the Bee Bee tree would be good. You really need to plant some buckwheat; it is really fun to watch them work it. I almost forgot Purple coneflower; I took a macro picture of a honeybee on it and she was having a great time. If it is out of the way and not a problem burdock is attractive to bees. That will give you a couple of things to think about.


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## ParanoidBeek (Aug 1, 2010)

Thanks Dave, The list is noted and I will take advantage of your advice. I know now is not the time to plant, but how about Fall? Its hard waiting til next spring with itchy fingers wanting to help the girls in any way I can.
The butterfly weed that is growing is not on my property and the property owner will probably be mowing that area soon. Any chance the plants would live transplanting some of those plants? I know it will involve water, water water, then some more water.


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

Your clovers can be planted this fall for sure. I think lots of stuff that grows local can be seeded in the fall. If you want something to feed bees this fall then you should plant buckwheat in the next few days. And for late flowers the Kohlrabi is attractive to bees when there is not much left. Buckwheat seed is available at the feed stores but mine came from Jung seeds. The bulbs (snowdrops and squills) can and should be planted in the fall. Yes the butterfly weed is very durable and will survive mowing just fine. Go deep when you dig them up as they have a long taproot. You can also transplant milkweed just like the butterfly weed and all parts of the common milkweed are edible. Also both of these plants have large seed pods that you can collect for seeds, but wait for them to just start splitting before harvesting the pods. For transplanting I take a bucket of soil for each plant. I dump the soil next to the plant, dig the plant and put it in the bucket, then backfill the hole (always backfill the hole). Ask the owner if you can dig a few butterfly weeds and tell them you will fill every hole. If you are feeling like a road trip I can give you a tour of my 25 acres and all the bee plants I know about.


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## my2collies (Mar 26, 2010)

Asters are excellent choices, too, flowering when other plants have stopped for the year. I worked in a native plant nursery for several years, and there are several asters which are native to your region.

I'd also add squash, pumpkins and cucumbers- my bees are going abslutely crazy for these! My cucumber yields are up, too, to the point where I'll be donating my extras to a food bank. 

Basswoods and catalpas are great trees for your area and the bees will love them, too. They both flower for a fairly long period for trees.

The ornamental thistle in my front garden is the single most popular plant in my garden- the large globe heads are covered in bees (honeybees as well as bumble bees and mason bees, too!) from dawn till dusk. I've gotten my best photos of bees from this plant, and along with the catmint make up the plants which I think should be in every bee garden.

I'll stop now- this is my favourite topic and I could go on and on!


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## WVaBees (Jul 2, 2010)

Please do go on...I am looking for as much info as I can get on the topic too and being just a couple hours from the OP this info is very viable for me as well.


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## ParanoidBeek (Aug 1, 2010)

Yes, please do go on. I have so much to learn and although the "container" gets clogged at times, more knowledge is good.
Dave, after reading your post, i called up the local Agway, they said they had some buckwheat seeds. Drove the 20 mins in, "sorry, someone must have bought them all, we will have more tomorrow" Sooooo figured ok, I'll go do some tilling to be ready. Tiller won't start. Go to feed bees, spil a gallon of syrup on the ground. Somedays its best to just sit on the deck and watch the world go by lol
I appreciate all your responses

Scott


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

Scott,
Sorry you had one of those days but it is all uphill from there. I would check around for other stores for seed. My bees have been on the buckwheat for a month now. If they got on it by the 10th of September and you didn’t get frost until the 10th of October you would get a month as well.


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## ParanoidBeek (Aug 1, 2010)

Dave, yea, somedays are just like that. Picked up some buckwheat seeds today, transplanted 5 butterflyweeds (not sure how good i did) but ran into other problems. Today checking my hive at sisters house, we found some swarms cells. Naturally as soon as we opened up the hive it started to rain, so we closed it up and will make a thorough inspection tomorrow to asses the situation.

Scott


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

Scott,
You will have to water the buckwheat until it gets going. Once its 6 inches tall it will take care of itself. Next year you can time your planting as you like or stager it. The bees were really working on it by 5 weeks. I would have liked to see mine just getting started about now but they are still working it. They are getting lots of pollen off my corn too. I got untreated, open pollinated seed this year after watching "The World according to Monsanto".


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## ParanoidBeek (Aug 1, 2010)

Dave, With the trouble at another hive, the tiller not starting, and time being an issue, I just hand tilled (I'm too old for that lol) a small area to plant some buckwheat. Maybe I will get an idea if my girls will like it. I have been watering it and the transplanted butterfly weed. Thanks for all your input and I will keep you posted.

Scott


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