PAm's Seeds for Bees Project

Seeds for Bees encourages the use of cover crops to increase the density, diversity, and duration of bee forage in California orchards, farms, and vineyards, while improving soil health.  The seed mixes available through Seeds for Bees are designed to bloom at critical times of the year when natural forage is scarce but managed and native bees are active.  Seeds for Bees serves the needs of bees, beekeepers, and growers, increasing sustainability of pollination and agriculture.
The Seeds for Bees Quick Guide is a great tool for growers, with tips and resources on planting cover crops, and an annual calendar. 

Benefits of Planting Cover Crops

Sustainability Benefits:
  • Carbon sequestration/Carbon Farming
  • Chemical free nematode suppression with mustards
  • Amends soil with non-fertilizer sources of nitrogen

Soil Benefits:
  • Improves soil fertility 
  • Increases organic matter and water availability 
  • Suppresses weeds  
  • Prevents erosion and improves water infiltration 

Benefits For Orchard Management 
  • Attracts beneficial insects that control pests (IPM) 
  • ​Assists mummy nut decomposition
  • Reduces dust  
  • Decreases muddy orchard floor conditions 

Benefits For Bees:
  • Enhances Honey Bee Health and Vitality
  • Enhances bee nutrition by increasing forage where bees need it most
  • Improves bee nutrition by increasing forage diversity in orchards and farms
  • Jumpstarts worker bee vitality to improve pollination potential
  • Boosts bee’s immune system and their ability to fight pathogens
  • Reduces cost of hive management and pollination services

Benefits for other Pollinators:
  • Increases forage for ground and cavity nesting native bee species 
  • ​Provides forage for non-bee pollinators like migrating Western monarch butterflies