We only have one earth, and we need to help this planet of ours out. Being environmentally thoughtful starts at home, and an eco-friendly backyard is a great place to do so. One thing homeowners can do is beekeeping!
Creating an eco-friendly landscaping space that’s favourable for bees is extremely beneficial to us and Mother Nature for a variety of reasons. Below, we discuss how to make an eco-friendly backyard and start beekeeping.
Ways to Create an Eco-Friendly Backyard
From eco-friendly landscaping to becoming a beekeeper, there are a ton of ways to help create an eco-friendly backyard:
- Don’t cut your grass as low or as often
- Water plants only when needed and either early morning or late evening
- Compost as much as possible and use it in your gardens
- Utilize solar lighting as much as possible
- Entice bees and butterflies into your backyard with a variety of plants and flowers
One of the best things you can do is to turn your backyard into a bee apiary. Bees are so incredibly important to our survival but are disturbingly on the verge of extinction. However, you have the unique ability to help combat that.
The Benefits of Beekeeping
One of the obvious benefits of beekeeping is the honey they create. Besides being tasty, honey offers a number of health benefits. It’s rich in antioxidants, an excellent sugar substitute, can improve cholesterol and also lower blood pressure. Beekeeping has also been described as a great de-stressor.
As a beekeeper, you are also giving a home to a species who are excellent pollinators. This in turn helps the fertilization of flowers and plants, including many of the fruits and vegetables that feed our families and communities. Providing bees a safe place to live and do what bees do best also helps to support bee re-population which is desperately needed right now.
Tips to Get Started in Beekeeping
If you’re interested in beekeeping, visit any local beekeepers that are in your area to ask questions and get a sense of what’s involved. Sign up for a workshop and research all that you can to better understand the science behind beekeeping. Create a plan for everything you need to get started, including supplies, and stick to that plan.
Once you have your plan in place, familiarize yourself with all of the equipment involved and figure out the best place to put the bees in your back yard. Review all local by-laws for your area about the rules on beekeeping and alert your close neighbours of your plans. Always pay close attention, keep notes and remember to have fun with it.
Beekeeping Regulations in Ontario
If you’re planning on getting into beekeeping, make sure you know the laws and rules first. There are a bunch of different rules when it comes to permits for selling and buying honey, including that you must be registered, that your apiary will have to undergo periodic inspections, and you will need to report any pests or diseases you come across.
Here’s a quick, useful video from TVO on the future of beekeeping.
To find out more about how you can create an eco-friendly backyard, contact the garden care experts at Lawrence Park Complete Garden Care.
RSS FEED