should I plant or leave bare ground? - Ask Extension
I have an area where I saw bees nesting in the ground but planned a pollinator garden there. As planting season approaches and I read more I wonder w...
Knowledgebase
should I plant or leave bare ground? #924452
Asked February 11, 2026, 11:12 AM EST
I have an area where I saw bees nesting in the ground but planned a pollinator garden there. As planting season approaches and I read more I wonder whether leaving this area open for ground nesting would be a better choice. It is about 8 x 15 feet, has a few plants from last year. What about watering? will that harm the nests? and how long do nests need for bees to grow and mature? ie, can I plant summer if they are nesting in Spring? Beaverton
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Native ground nesting bees have seasons—they emerge, feed, and mate, then make nests where the species overwinters. This means they will continue to use the area year-around. This page is from California, but shows a life cycle for a ground nesting native bee, and there’s an example of a garden with a designated bare patch of soil for the bees, as an idea of adapting a designated bare patch to include bees.
Here is an article about the bees from OSU. Heavy watering, dense planting, and deep mulch discourage bees, and can kill those yet to emerge for their season, or in freshly laid nests. (The time of the year varies with the bee species.) This prior Q&A says pretty much the same things in a different way.
I guess this is my long way of saying that if you want to prioritize the bees 100%, leave the area alone, but you might find some attractive ways to mix in plants without disrupting all of the bee habitat.
I hope this answers your question.
Here is an article about the bees from OSU. Heavy watering, dense planting, and deep mulch discourage bees, and can kill those yet to emerge for their season, or in freshly laid nests. (The time of the year varies with the bee species.) This prior Q&A says pretty much the same things in a different way.
I guess this is my long way of saying that if you want to prioritize the bees 100%, leave the area alone, but you might find some attractive ways to mix in plants without disrupting all of the bee habitat.
I hope this answers your question.
