UMN Turf Research
Creating Thriving Bee Lawns: The Next Research Steps By: Kristine Moncada & Andrew Hollman University of Minnesota
Here at the University of Minnesota, the Turfgrass Science group is constantly conducting research in many different areas. Some of which regular Hole Notes readers and listeners will be familiar with, such as our WinterTurf project that aims to mitigate turfgrass winter injuries on golf courses. Other areas, such as our research in bee lawns, you may not know as well. One thing you are probably aware of, however, is the popularity of pollinators. Whether you are a homeowner responsible for your own 40
yard or a superintendent responsible for an entire golf course, people everywhere are interested in taking measures to support pollinators. Bee lawns in Minnesota have played a prominent role as an accessible option to add pollinator habitat to the home landscape (Figure 1). You may think of bee lawns as just for homeowners, but as Dr. Jon Trappe discussed in the April 2023 edition of Hole Notes, pollinator habitat that includes typical bee lawn plant species can be for out-of-play areas on golf courses as well.