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SAVE THE BEES GIVEAWAY Posted on 7 Feb 18:19 , 27 comments

We are THRILLED to sponsor another Giveaway at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.  As promised, now that we've reached 8,000 followers on our facebook page, we're ready to give away SEEDS!!!  You have a chance to win 1 of 2 organic BEE FRIENDLY Seed Combo Packs from Mary's Heirloom Seeds.

-"Wild About Wildflowers" Seeds Combo Pack

-*NEW* Edible Flowers Combo Pack

A total of 2 winners will be chosen!!!
This giveaway is LIVE Sunday, February 7th and ends 
Friday, February 12th at 11:59pm
About our prizes.... 

-"Wild About Wildflowers" seed combo pack
Includes 6 varieties of individually packed Wildflower seeds
NEW Seeds for this combo pack!

-French Marigold
-Bachelor Button
-Butterfly Garden
-Queen Anne's Lace
-Yarrow
-Zinnia Mix



-Edible Flowers seed combo pack
Includes 6 varieties of individually packed EDIBLE Flower varieties!
A unique mix of medicinal herbs and companion plant!
-Borage
-Calendula
-Nasturtium
-Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
-Plains Coreopsis
-Yarrow
 

About Mary's Heirloom Seeds,
Mary's Heirloom Seeds is a "mom and pop" small business created out of a desire to help people become more sustainable and self-sufficient. Our customers know that we are a simple phone call or email away

We currently offer over 300 varieties of open-pollinated, non-gmo & non-hybrid, non-patented,  untreated, organic, heirloom garden seeds.   Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.  
Most orders place Monday-Thursday ship within 48 hours, except for Holidays.
Order herb and veggie varieties together and get an extra free seed pack!
*$10 Order Minimum on all seed orders*

From our seed pack envelopes to our labels and packaging material, all of our paper comes from post-consumer recycled material. We hand-pack, print and label all of our own seed packages. Our website is hosted with a wind-powered, sustainable company. 


Are you ready to enter the giveaway?
Giveaway is open to all Residents of the US and Canada.
Giveaway opens 2/7/2016 and ends Friday, February 12th at Midnight.
All giveaway entrants will be added to Mary's Heirloom Seeds mailing list.
Your information is never sold and we never send spam emails.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

MILLION POLLINATOR GARDEN CHALLENGE Posted on 7 Jan 16:53 , 3 comments

JOIN US in the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge!  Have you heard of the challenge?  

Mary's Heirloom Seeds is joining National Pollinator Garden Network CHALLENGE.  NPGN collectively represents approximately 800,000 gardeners, 10,000 schoolyard gardens and bring a baseline of a 250,000 registered pollinator gardens nationwide from across its five main founding organizations.
CALIFORNIA POPPY
The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge (MPGC) is a nationwide call to action to preserve and create gardens and landscapes that help revive the health of bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators across America. We will move millions of individuals, kids and families outdoors and make a connection between pollinators and the healthy food people eat.
The focus of the NPGN is: to inspire individuals and community groups, institutions and the garden industry to create more pollinator habitat through sustainable gardening practices, habitat conservation and provide these groups the tools to be successful.
FRENCH MARIGOLDS
So how are we getting involved?  We already offer a SUPER unique election of Wildflower Seeds and Herb Seeds that are bee-friendly.  We grow organic and plant for the bees in our own gardens.
 
FIRST, we are adding more Bee-Friendly SEEDS at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.  Next, we are giving away FREE SEEDS!  During the entire month of January we will include a free pack of bee-friendly seeds.  
BONUS, all orders place in January *$10 order minimum* will be entered into a drawing for a $15 gift certificate to Mary's Heirloom Seeds
If you haven't read our article Plant for Pollinators and Increase Crop Yields then NOW is the time.  Not only are you helping the precious bee population by planting bee-friendly varieties, you can boost your crops!!!
BORAGE is a bee-friendly herb and great companion to Tomatoes
How do YOU get involved?
Plant a Pollinator-Friendly "patch."  This can be a small area or a huge plot.  Every little bit counts.
-Stop using synthetic chemical pesticides in your yard and gardens
-Grow/Use plant varieties that provide nectar and pollen sources
-Provide a water source
-Establish continuous blooms throughout the season.  You can do this by staggering your planting by 2-4 week intervals.
-Create large "pollinator targets" of native or non-invasive plants
-Plan your pollinator garden in a sunny spot, preferably with a wind-break
 
Over the next few days I'll post a bit more about pollinators and bee-friendly gardening tips.
ECHINACEA (also known as coneflower) is another great pollinator-friendly herb
We offer a few combo packs...
"Flower Power" Herb Combo Pack - "Wild About Wildflowers" Check it out!!!

HELPFUL LINKS:

Companion Planting Guide
For more info on what to plant in your area, we have a region-specific

2016 Planting Guide for the US

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marys-Heirloom-Seeds/229833070442449

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Plant for Pollinators and Increase Crop Yields Posted on 5 Jul 19:57 , 0 comments

Are you READY???

What's the Big Deal about BEES?

 

Have you heard about CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder? "Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear. While such disappearances have occurred throughout the history of apiculture, the term colony collapse disorder was first applied to a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of Western honey bee colonies in North America in late 2006. Colony collapse is significant because many agricultural crops worldwide are pollinated by bees."
English Lavender
One possible theory...
Honeybee Deaths Linked to Corn Insecticide:
 
New research shows a link between an increase in the death of bees and insecticides, specifically the chemicals used to coat corn seeds.    Source

Read A World Without Bees for info on foods that require pollination.

From a customer,   "Monarch Butterflies are about the be placed on the Endangered Species list (thanks Monsanto!).  If we all bought at least one package of these (Milkweed) with every order maybe we could help."
TROPICAL MILKWEED
AWESOME idea!!!  Mary's Heirloom Seeds wants to help save the BEES and the BUTTERFLIES! 
We always include a free pack of bee-friendly seeds with orders!
 

We found a helpful article: 

 Pollinators More important to Crop Yields than Fertilizer

"The critical importance of pollinators is exemplified in a recent study out of the University of California, Berkeley. Not only do pollinators help increase crop yields, they may be even more important than fertilizers, according to the study suggests."

 

"Scientists concluded that an almond tree can compensate for the lack of nutrients and water in the short term by storing the nutrients and water in the fruits instead, but cannot compensate for insufficient pollination" 

 

Ecologist Alexandra-Maria Klein, Ph.D. and her colleagues at UC Berkeley found that when there is a lack of pollination, via bees and other pollinators, there is a stronger reduction in harvest yields than when there is a lack of either fertilizer or sufficient water for the crops. Their results, which were published in the journals Plant Biology and PLoS ONE, found that when crops were pollinated, the plants bear more fruit along with a change in their nutrient content.


What to Plant and WHY?

 

The simplest way to increase crop yields is to encourage pollinators to your garden.  It's simple to do, easy to grow and eco-friendly.

 

BASIL and BORAGE produce flowers and are both companion plants for Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash and Eggplant.

 

Marigold is another companion plant AND it deters nematodes!

 

MILKWEED is the perfect addition if you're looking to attract Bees and Butterflies.

 

HERBS: Lavender, Lemon Bee Balm, Anise Hyssop, Caraway, Chives, Chamomile and Yarrow are all Flowering Herbs and what I call "Double Duty Herbs."  These "double duty" varieties encourage pollinators to your garden AND are useful in herbal home remedies as well as home-cooking recipes.   

 

SUNFLOWERS are an excellent addition to your garden for the bees and other pollinators.  For multiple flowers, try Mexican Sunflower!

 

Nasturtium is another edible flower that attracts pollinators.  Pretty flowers with a delicious flavor!  As a companion plant, Nasturtium deters Squash Vine Borers! 

 

 

For a detailed list, read  

COMPANION PLANTING 
 
Have you seed our VIDEOS?
Many of you have asked for information we have been sharing during our free workshops in our local community.  Check out these links!

 


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marys-Heirloom-Seeds/229833070442449

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