The beekeeping season is winding down, and many beekeepers are busy with their honey business making September the official National Honey Month. Generally, honey is ready to harvest in late summer when a colony has built up surplus honey. The honey is cured and capped in the honeycomb cells. A single bee can visit up […]
In a previous blog, we talked about open pollinated varieties and how important it is to maintain the plant and flower traits to keep the variety true to type. For this reason, we developed our Variety Improvement (VI) Program. Previously we highlighted our Zinnia ‘Sombrero’ which has been improved through our VI program. Today we […]
The following factsheet is a result of work done by Clint Otto and colleagues at the USGS-Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, North Dakota. Clint’s team developed the factsheet in part with information gathered through the Bee Integrated project that is coordinated by the Honey Bee Health Coalition. It highlights forbs that are preferred […]
Everyone loves butterflies for their wonderful array of colors and patterns as well as their graceful movements. Images of butterflies have been popular for jewelry, decoration and crafts for centuries. Butterflies undergo an amazing metamorphosis from egg, to caterpillar to beautiful, winged adult. It is possible to plant flowers in a home garden to attract […]
Arvada, CO – Gene Milstein, founder, and his wife, Dee Milstein, co-owner of Applewood Seed Company, announce the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transferring significant ownership of the company to current and future employees. As part of a comprehensive succession plan, the Milsteins formed the ESOP to implement their goal of keeping […]
The CP-43 Prairie Strips practice is a CRP Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) initiative and is intended to provide benefits to both farmers and the environment in agricultural areas. They are composed of diverse, herbaceous, perennial vegetation that includes both grasses and wildflowers. They must be positioned on the landscape to most effectively deal […]
Plan now to build up your inventory of flower seeds for the upcoming fall Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) planting season. It’s not too early to stock up on forb seeds needed for your state or trade area. Forbs are essential for various practices such as CP25 Restoration of Rare & Declining Habitat, CP42 Pollinator Habitat, […]
Agricultural land has been expanding and intensifying in many regions of the world to meet growing demands for food. This trend has resulted in reduced biodiversity and pollination services from honey bees, wild bees and other pollinators. Research from the past decade underscores the value of pollinator diversity and abundance for crop pollination worldwide. Restored […]
Would you like to make your golf course more exciting and beautiful by adding more color? Do you want to help pollinators and wildlife? Applewood Seed Company can help. Listed below are some suggestions to help you bring color to your golf course and create pollinator habitats in various areas.
Here at Applewood Seed Company we specialize in small to largescale production of open-pollinated flower seeds, which include wildflowers, heirloom garden flowers and newer flower varieties. Most of these flowers need insect pollinators for successful seed production. We are a strong advocate of pollinator conservation and are actively involved in research, education, and policy-making for pollinator issues. Here […]
September is National Honey Month!
The beekeeping season is winding down, and many beekeepers are busy with their honey business making September the official National Honey Month. Generally, honey is ready to harvest in late summer when a colony has built up surplus honey. The honey is cured and capped in the honeycomb cells. A single bee can visit up […]
Variety Improvement Program Species Highlight: Zinnia ‘Thumbelina’
In a previous blog, we talked about open pollinated varieties and how important it is to maintain the plant and flower traits to keep the variety true to type. For this reason, we developed our Variety Improvement (VI) Program. Previously we highlighted our Zinnia ‘Sombrero’ which has been improved through our VI program. Today we […]
Flowers for Honey Bees and Wild Bees in the Prairie Pothole Region
The following factsheet is a result of work done by Clint Otto and colleagues at the USGS-Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, North Dakota. Clint’s team developed the factsheet in part with information gathered through the Bee Integrated project that is coordinated by the Honey Bee Health Coalition. It highlights forbs that are preferred […]
Host Plants for Butterfly Gardens
Everyone loves butterflies for their wonderful array of colors and patterns as well as their graceful movements. Images of butterflies have been popular for jewelry, decoration and crafts for centuries. Butterflies undergo an amazing metamorphosis from egg, to caterpillar to beautiful, winged adult. It is possible to plant flowers in a home garden to attract […]
Applewood Seed Company Announces Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Arvada, CO – Gene Milstein, founder, and his wife, Dee Milstein, co-owner of Applewood Seed Company, announce the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transferring significant ownership of the company to current and future employees. As part of a comprehensive succession plan, the Milsteins formed the ESOP to implement their goal of keeping […]
What are Prairie Strips?
The CP-43 Prairie Strips practice is a CRP Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) initiative and is intended to provide benefits to both farmers and the environment in agricultural areas. They are composed of diverse, herbaceous, perennial vegetation that includes both grasses and wildflowers. They must be positioned on the landscape to most effectively deal […]
Flower Seed Selections for the Conservation Reserve Program
Plan now to build up your inventory of flower seeds for the upcoming fall Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) planting season. It’s not too early to stock up on forb seeds needed for your state or trade area. Forbs are essential for various practices such as CP25 Restoration of Rare & Declining Habitat, CP42 Pollinator Habitat, […]
Flower Plantings Can Increase Yields of Pollination-Dependent Crops
Agricultural land has been expanding and intensifying in many regions of the world to meet growing demands for food. This trend has resulted in reduced biodiversity and pollination services from honey bees, wild bees and other pollinators. Research from the past decade underscores the value of pollinator diversity and abundance for crop pollination worldwide. Restored […]
Add Flowers to Your Golf Course for Color, Pollinators, and Local Wildlife
Would you like to make your golf course more exciting and beautiful by adding more color? Do you want to help pollinators and wildlife? Applewood Seed Company can help. Listed below are some suggestions to help you bring color to your golf course and create pollinator habitats in various areas.
Using Open-Pollinated Flower Seeds for Pollinator Conservation
Here at Applewood Seed Company we specialize in small to largescale production of open-pollinated flower seeds, which include wildflowers, heirloom garden flowers and newer flower varieties. Most of these flowers need insect pollinators for successful seed production. We are a strong advocate of pollinator conservation and are actively involved in research, education, and policy-making for pollinator issues. Here […]