4 Easy Ways To Help Bees Thrive In Your Garden

El Paso springs and summers are very long and that means a very long grow season. If you want to help the bee population in our area but don't know what kind of garden to plant, check out some of these tips from El Paso Master Gardeners:

1. Lawns suck - Literally. They are terrible water hogs and because they don't flower, they are useless to bees. To keep them green and lush, they also require a lot of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Get rid of your lawn and plant a field of flowering plants instead. Also...

2. Use natural fertilizers and pesticides - Ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantises can be introduced to your yard as natural pesticides. Click here for tips on how to make your own natural fertilizers from things around your home and kitchen.

3. Plant bee-friendly flowers - Daisies and marigolds are great bee flowers and you can plant them in pots all over your yard or in the ground for a pretty flower bed. Other great plants for bees? Lilacs, lavender, wisteria, mint, sunflowers, poppies, honeysuckle, lantana, and snapdragons.

4. Bee water - Bees need water, but they also need a way to drink it without drowning. In a shallow pot saucer, the kind you put under a pot to catch water, add pebbles so that the tops of the pebbles can stick up out of the water. Add fresh water every day or so but don't submerge the pebbles. Don't forget to add fresh water every other day so the bees will know they can always count on you.

Follow the El Paso Master Gardeners Facebook page for year-round gardening tips.