Q&A: Bees in the Butterfly Garden Question: I would like to help plan a butterfly garden for my son's preschool. I'm familiar with the plants, but will the same plants attract bees? Little children are very fearful of bees and I wonder if the butterfly garden is a good choice for the 3 to 5 year-olds in the group. Growing edible plants is not an option as the raised bed they have at school is built with treated timbers.
Answer: That's a real dilemma. Any time you have flowers, you'll have bees around. As you probably know, honeybees and wild "solitary" bees, unlike wasps and yellowjackets, generally won't bother you unless you inadvertantly step on them or otherwise really disturb them (and I know this, I'm a beekeeper!) They are not naturally aggressive. Bees are very attracted to the following flowers: alfalfa, clover, goldenrod, milkweed, salvias, and buckwheat. It's likely that if your schoolyard lawn has clover in it, you already have lots of bees around the children. You might try to choose flowers will long, tubular shapes, or flowers with long spurs, like monarda (bee balm), coneflowers, columbine, and nasturtium. A butterfly has a long proboscis and can getto the nectar in these plants better than bees can, so you might see fewer bees on these flowers -- though I can't say for sure. Another possibility is to plant tall, flowering plants in the center of the garden, and surround it with foliage plants and non-flowering ground covers. This way, the bees should be drawn to the center, and leave the edges of the garden relatively bee-free. Finally, as a bee-lover, I would use this opportunity to show children the wonders of all insect life. Honeybees, especially, are fascinating creatures, with elaborate social structures, and can be used to teach all sorts of lessons such as animal adaptations, honey production, etc. After all, a child that learns about bees might become less afraid, and less likely to swat at them (a sure way of inviting a sting). I hope this helps! |
Q&A: Pruning Ficus Tree Question: My ficus tree grew really well this summer, out on my deck. Can I trim it back before bringing it inside for the winter? Or, since it is so large, can it stay outside for the winter?
Answer: Ficus won't tolerate freezing temperatures, so you'll need to bring it indoors. However, you can certainly trim it back before bringing it inside for winter. When you trim it, cut the largest limbs back to where they join with a smaller side branch, rather than simply shearing all branches back equally. This method of pruning is called "thinning" and leaves the tree with a more natural, less butchered look. You may want to thin out some of the branches in the center of the tree, too, since in the process of acclimitizing to the lower indoor light levels, the tree will probably drop some of these shaded inner leaves.
Make sure to trim your tree outdoors, as ficus will drip sticky white sap from the wounds. Wait until the dripping stops before bringing the tree inside. If an approaching cold spell forces you to bring the trees indoors before you have a chance to prune it, be sure to protect the floor under the tree when you prune--the sap can really stain. |
Tip: Buy Compost When buying bulk compost, products made from yard waste is safest. It should be slightly warm to the touch, have a dark, crumbly color, "earthy" smell, moist enough that it won't blow away, but not so moist it drips. |
Happy Halloween from ArcaMax! Whether you're taking your kids out trick-or-treating, going out to a party, or staying at home and relaxing, ArcaMax wishes you a safe and happy Halloween!
Before this evening, check out free recipes for treats like pumpkin cupcakes, information on trick-or-treating safety, and more.
Visit the ArcaMax Halloween feature before it disappears!
-- From the ArcaMax editors |
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