January 24, 2010
Mark Bernskoetter, Master Gardener
Q: I have heard a lot of concern about decreasing bee populations and the impact that will have on our food supplies. Is there anything I and my neighborhood can do help support the bee population?
D.B. in West Plains
A: What you are talking about is known as colony collapse. Over the last few years, beekeepers have noted more and more hives dying out.
While it is natural that some hives will die out each year, what has been happening for the last few years is that about one-third of the remaining hives are dying off each year.
There has been a lot of speculation about the causes of this collapse. In some cases, the hives are simply disappearing -- the bees go out to seek flowers and never return. After losing enough workers, the hive can no longer sustain itself and the remaining bees die.
Some research shows multiple viruses contained in the bodies of dead bees that have been found, but it is uncertain whether these pathogens caused the decline and death, which ones are commonly present and do not present much danger to the bees, or perhaps something else has compromised the immune system of the bees and made it possible for these viruses to affect these insects.
Some farmers have hired beekeepers to bring hives out to their fields during flowering times so the bees can roam about, pollinating crops.
So, what can you do? Well, since we don't know for sure what the main culprit is, we cannot cure the problem. However, we can make a better environment for bees.
First and foremost, reduce or eliminate your use of pesticides in the lawn and garden. Americans spend in excess of $11 billion per year on pesticides, and most of these are deadly to bees as well as other insects.
The American homeowner uses more pesticides per acre than farmers.
Applying insecticides can certainly reduce a nuisance population; however, it will also kill off beneficial insects.
When we use a pesticide, we can actually aggravate our problems by killing helpful insects that might be able to contain the pests.
This will probably lead you to apply another treatment which will then kill off more beneficial insects along with the nuisance ones.
Secondly, grow plants that are attractive and helpful to bees. Offer them lots of flowers -- a veritable buffet.
Use more natives than exotic plants -- native plants usually have more nectar and pollen than hybrids and fancier cultivars. Bees will still be attracted to these engineered flowers, but they will not get their fill of nectar from them.
Plant a mix of annuals and perennials to get a good variety of blooms and nectars.
Notice from year to year what kinds of blooms they seem to really like and plant lots of those flowers next year.
Plant things they like in masses. Studies show that individual bees and the whole hive will spend more time on one large grouping of a certain flower than the equal number of flowers spread around a yard.
Avoid flowers with double blooms and lots of ruffles, as they are usually too difficult for the bee to get to the nectar.
Use plants that will provide food for the bees during three seasons.
Spring-blooming shrubs and fruit trees and shrubs are a great source of nectar early in the growing season. Summer time is easy -- there are thousands of varieties of blooms that are attractive and helpful to bees.
For the fall, be sure you have lots of asters, sedum and goldenrod.
Provide a water source such as a birdbath or drip irrigation. Bees do require water for survival and have to spend time looking for it in our typical summer drought.
Q: I've heard some discussion about "plant hardiness zones," but I don't really know what that is or how it affects my plants. How can I learn more?
K.L. Branson
A: Environmental factors like heat, compacted soils, cold temperatures and various pest problems, make growing landscape plants in the Ozarks a real challenge.
However, there is hope. Gardeners can minimize these environmental factors by knowing the specific requirements of plants in our area. Also, doing your homework before purchasing plants will increase your plant successes.
For example, most gardeners should become familiar with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Cold Hardiness Zone Map."
First published in 1960, this map is based on average annual minimum temperatures recorded throughout North America.
By using the map to find the zone where you live, you can determine which plants will "winter over" in your garden because they can withstand these temperatures.
The hardiness zone ranges from Zone 1, which is Fairbanks, Alaska to Zone 11, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Most of the plant zone for southwest Missouri is 6-A (average minimal temperature of -5 to -10 degrees). The Branson area is rated as 6-B (average minimal temperature of 0 to -5 degrees).
When plants are purchased from your local nursery, plants should not be available that are not hardy to your area unless special precautions are indicated.
In most cases attached plant labels will indicate the zone most suitable for your plants.
For specific information on plant hardiness zones and a listing of plants adaptable to the various zones visit this Web site: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushmap.html.
Another useful map, besides the USDA "Plant Hardiness Zone Map," is the "American Horticultural Society Plant Heat-Zone Map." This map helps gardeners determine a plant's likelihood for survival from extremes in temperatures.
This 12-zone map indicates the average number of days each year that a region experiences "heat days."
"Heat days" are those days with temperatures over 86 degrees, the point at which plants experience damage to cellular proteins.
Southwest Missouri's heat zone is seven because this area has an average of 61 to 90 days with temperatures above 86 degrees.
When used in conjunction with the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, consumers can select plants that may do well in their gardens throughout the year.
For more information about the heat zone map, visit:
http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm.
Read more:
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20100124/LIFE0504/1240303/Provide+a+better+environment+for+bees
