Looking for ideas....

[lesa]

I currently have about a 1/4 acre of land that is devoted to a wildflower field. It was kind of fun the first couple years- but it is mostly daisies and weeds now. I would like to use the space for something a little more useful. I would like it to be something my bees really enjoy. (Turns out daisy's are not their favorite.) I already have a large veggie bed, herbs, etc. I was thinking maybe a sunflower field- but I would need fencing. The deer ate all the sunflowers out of my wild flower field. I don't bother growing corn, since I have two friends that grow delicious organic corn. Any ideas??

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i was thinking you could also grow clover for a year as a cover crop. the bees usually like it, the deer will like it but it takes a beating and will keep coming back. how about some cosmos or some cleome? those come in some very nice colors and get tall.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, those can turn into mostly grass and weeds pretty quickly. And you are going to be feeding deer, rabbits, birds, and who knows what else.

You are in Upstate New York and I am not. Around here Black Eyed Susans and Shasta Daisies would probably fit your requirements though about anything is likely to get crowded out by Bermuda grass around here. If you could manag it, herbs like oregano, basil, cilantro, and dill really attract bees, but again the grass would probably crowd them out. But many of these might re-seed if you mow at the right time.

A few possible suggestions:

Contact your county extension agent and see if they can put you in touch with someone familair with your local conditions. Maybe a local Master Gardener?

Do you have a "gardening" column in a local newspaper? Write them a letter. Sounds like a great column.

Go to your public library and talk to them. They can probably help you find books written for your specific area.

Does New York sow wildflower seeds along the roadside? Maybe you could contact someomne with the road department (local or state) and see what seeds they sow and their mowing schedule to maximize the benefits?

 

[thistlebloom]

Lesa if you could plant a wide assortment of bee friendly plants that also self sow, and are somewhat deer resistant you could have a beautiful wildflower effect with minimal expense or labor.
What came to mind in the varieties deer don't get excited about are things like salvias, rudbeckias, oreganos, thyme, lavendars...
I think clover is a good one also as Chickie' mentioned, even though it's on the deer-delight list.

My mountain bluet self sows its little head off and the bees are all over it, but I don't know if deer like it.

Have you considered a deer repellent spray? I use two that are extremely effective, no odor, and inexpensive. They last for about three months, but in areas with a lot of deer pressure I respray about every 10 weeks.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

if you can find seeds for Sweet Joe Pye it is perennial and our local ground bees go crazy over it! yarrow is also a good one that the butterflies also like to frequent!

 

[lighthawk]

Lesa. Finding flowering plants the deer won't eat may be as easy as looking at the neighboring fields that come up wild. Here I have noticed they leave the dafodills alone in the spring. They come up wild in a lot down the road. Summer I notice Queen Annes lace is untouched and left alone they spread profusely with a pretty white flower top. Goldenrod is another. (as long as no-one in the family has allergies) There is a plant that grows locally and although I don't know the name they cover the roadsides with a pretty blue flower every summer. I have also noticed they don't seem to bother Daylillies, and yet another, the "Dollar" plant. I realize some of these are actually weeds but they come in all different colors and require absolutely no maintenence. Take a walk in a meadow on state land with your shovel and you have all you need.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It is usually illegal to take plants from State or Federal lands.

Those blue flowers are probably either flax or chickory.

 

[thistlebloom]

Lesa, here's a link to Stock Seed Farms pollinator mixture. It contains 39 varieties of perennials to bloom spring , summer, and fall.

It takes a minute to load completely. I've ordered from them and they're reputable.




http://www.stockseed.com/mixes_product_display.asp?pid=626

 

[April Manier]

I vote for clover. It is really great and reseeds well. If you can till/or just disc it in every couple of years you'll see huge benefits!

 

[lesa]

Thanks everyone! Great ideas- keep them coming! Thistle I checked out that mix. It has quite a few flowers we have already in our wild flower mix- but lots of neat ones, that the bees would really appreciate, that we don't have! Maybe I'll do half wild flower and till up the rest and plant clover....