Podcast Episode 7: Bee Lawns, Planting for Pollinators, and Conservation Friendly Lawns

Your Greenhouse Home - the Podcast

This week on the Podcast, Jessie talks with James Wolfin, an entomologist and conservation specialist with Twin Cities Seed Company. He and a team of educators created a seed mixture specifically for the benefit of bees. He is on a mission to replace traditional turfgrass with more sustainable options including native blends and water-wise turf-grass options.

In this episode, Jessie and James discuss the benefits of bee lawns, planting for pollinators, and waterwise lawns. They also highlight a new seed mix specifically selected to provide food and habitat for our at-risk native bees and pollinators. Towards the end of the episode, learn how you can BEE the change by participating in the Lawns to Legumes program - pilot program offers a combination of workshops, coaching, planting guides and cost-share funding (individual support grants) for installing pollinator-friendly native plantings in residential lawns.

About Our Guest:

James Wolfin is a Conservation Specialist with Twin Cities Seed Company where he aims to bring more visibility to bee lawns and other eco-friendly options for the lawn and garden to residents and land managers. Before his time with Twin City Seed, James was the Director of Education with Metro Blooms, a Minneapolis based nonprofit that aims to bring green infrastructure and native plants to our landscapes. James completed his MS in Entomology at the University of Minnesota where he was advised by Dr. Marla Spivak (UMN Bee Lab) and Dr. Eric Watkins (UMN turfgrass science lab) where he studied bee lawns – turfgrass lawns enhanced with pollinator-friendly flowers.