Trees for bees: from planting to pruning with Mike Connor

February 25, 2023

Beekeepers and their supporters have recognized that a lack of nutritious and timely bee forage can be as restrictive to successful beekeeping as pests, diseases, and pesticides. Planting flowering trees can make a huge difference by providing the earliest, and often the most significant, sources of nectar and pollen needed for a successful season.

For some, planting trees is viewed as a daunting task, often plagued by failure or having trees that “just won’t grow”! Trees do take time to get established, but they will provide decades of forage for pollinators and food and shelter for birds and other wildlife too.

As a Certified Arborist specializing in Plant Health Care, Mike Connor often responds to calls from people who wonder why their trees are sick or dying. A large percentage of the issues he diagnoses are preventable, or worse - they were caused by the person who planted or cared for the trees.

This webinar looks at the most common issues- from planting to pruning- that affect your success as a caretaker of trees. Proper tree care is not difficult, and minor efforts now will produce long-term rewards for trees, bees, and for you!

About the presenter: Mike Connor is a Certified Arborist, Nursery Grower, and an experienced Beekeeper. He grew up on an orchard and Christmas tree farm in Southwest Michigan, and purchased his first hive of bees when he was 12 years old. He is in a unique position to understand the relationships between plants, trees, and bees. Mike became a Branch Manager of a national Bee Supply manufacturer, Dadant and Sons, in 1977. At Dadants he received a practical education in beekeeping from some of the best beekeepers in the world. He left Dadants in 1985 to start his own tree Nursery and operate 200 hives of his own.

Including a 7-year commitment as a Municipal Arborist and Park Superintendent, Mike has spent his entire career growing and caring for plants, trees, and bees. He is a co-founder of the Grand Rapids Area Bee Club.

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