Winter 2021 - 8

COVER STORY
Seeds for Bees
Cover Crop Mixes
PAm Clover Mix
Contains: Balansa, Persian, 'Hykon' Rose, Crimson,
Medic, Berseem
Planting Seed Rate: 20 lbs./ac. for broadcast;
15 lbs./ac. for drill
Timing: Sept. 10-Nov. 10
Emergence: 14 days with enough moisture;
grows slowly through winter
Bloom: March-June
PAm Mustard Mix
Contains: Canola, 'Bracco' White Mustard, 'Nemfix'
Yellow Mustard, Daikon Radish, Common Yellow
Mustard
Planting Seed Rate: 12 lbs./ac. for broadcast;
8 lbs./ac. for drill
Timing: Sow and germinate before Nov. 1 to ensure
bloom before almond bloom.
Emergence: 6-8 days
Bloom: Jan.-March
PAm Soil Builder Mix
Contains: Triticale, Bell Beans, Peas, Canola,
Common Yellow Mustard, Daikon Radish
Planting Seed Rate: 75 lbs./ac.
Timing: Sow and germinate before Nov. 1 to ensure
bloom before almond bloom.
Emergence: 6-8 days
Bloom: Jan.-May
PAm Vetch-Grain Mix
Contains: Common Vetch, Triticale
Planting Seed Rate: 35 lbs./ac. for broadcast;
25 lbs./ac. for drill
Timing: Sept. 10-Nov. 10
Emergence: 10 days
Bloom: April-June
All cover crop mixes in California can be planted
Sept. 10 - Nov. 10 while soil is still warm.
Seeds for Bees clover mix can help with erosion
issues and can fix up to 80 lbs. of nitrogen per acre.
Photo: Project Apis m.
them if they're close to qualifying for certification. If they do,
that report can be downloaded, then uploaded and autofilled
to Pollinator Partnership.
" It's basically for growers who are very close to meeting
(Bee Friendly Farming) criteria, but might not have the
habitat requirements met quite yet. That cover crop can
help get them to that 3%, and that can help them meet our
certification criteria, " said Dakin.
The mission expands
Both organizations are seeing wider reception and adoption
of cover crops for pollinator forage and increased soil health,
pushing the programs' missions into new territory.
For Pollinator Partnership's Bee Friendly Farming, its
concept (and logo use - a benefit of certification) inspired
Francis Ford Coppola Winery to launch its Bee's Box brand
of wines, with 10% of the proceeds going to support programs
like Pollinator Partnership.
" It's a great example of centering around the idea even
more than just putting a logo on a product. They kind of
designed a specific product for it, " said Dakin.
For Project Apis m., its Seeds for Bees program, in
partnership with Monarch Joint Venture, is growing
its outside-the-orchard habitat program - annual and
perennial herbaceous plants, native flower mixes, or woody
perennials like those in a hedgerow, that are grown next
to an orchard rather than within it. Though these need to
be planted, treated and managed differently, said Synk,
they work really well, especially for growers who already
practice cover cropping.
" It's going to really help feed and be a source of habitat
for those populations of native bees, whereas inside the
orchard is not. It's also a great place to have milkweeds and
support monarchs and other pollinators, and even wildlife, "
said Synk.
With only about 5-10% of growers using cover crops in
California's almond region, there's still a lot of work to do
before cover cropping becomes an industry standard.
" Cover crops are still certainly being underutilized, but the
tides have turned, " said Synk.
8 WINTER 2021
Winter 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Winter 2021
