Going Underground
When we think of honeybees and their food sources, our minds usually jump straight to blossoms. Flowers are the obvious link in the chain, supplying nectar and pollen that sustain the hive. But beneath that picture lies a deeper, often overlooked foundation: the soil itself. The nutrition bees receive doesn’t just begin with petals - it begins underground.
Healthy soil is alive. It’s not just dirt, but a community of microbes, fungi, and minerals that cycle nutrients into plants. When this underground system is thriving, flowers grow richer in the proteins, fats, and trace elements that bees need. A sunflower in nutrient-depleted soil might look bright to us, but to a bee, its pollen could be less nourishing than it appears.
Bees don’t only need sugar from nectar. They rely heavily on the proteins, amino acids, and lipids found in pollen to raise strong brood and maintain colony resilience. The quality of pollen shifts depending on the soil in which a plant grows. Researchers have found, for example, that crops planted in soils with balanced minerals and active microbial life produce pollen that is more complete in its nutritional profile. Poor soil, on the other hand, can lead to pollen that leaves bees undernourished, even if flowers are abundant.
Colonies with access to nutrient-rich pollen are better equipped to handle stress. Good nutrition strengthens bees against pathogens, pesticides, and seasonal shortages. Soil health, then, is not just about farm productivity - it indirectly fortifies pollinators. Without robust soil ecosystems, bees can face a hidden form of malnutrition that weakens their natural defences.
Conventional practices that strip the soil - heavy tilling, monocropping, and overuse of chemicals - don’t just affect crop yields; they also ripple outward to pollinators. In contrast, regenerative farming practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, composting, and integrated crop diversity help restore soil vitality. This, in turn, enhances the nutritional landscape for bees and other pollinators.
It’s tempting to picture bee forage as a meadow in bloom, but the true “spring” that feeds bees begins underground. Soil is the unseen engine driving the quality of flowers, nectar, and pollen. If we want to support pollinators, we must look past the blossoms and tend to the ground they rise from.
The health of bees is a mirror of the health of the land. By caring for soil, we aren’t just nurturing crops - we’re ensuring that the invisible spring beneath our feet continues to feed the creatures who, in turn, feed us.
We Can All Support Soil Health:
If you have a garden, the way you care for your soil directly shapes the quality of forage available to local pollinators. Start by minimizing chemical inputs such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which can disrupt soil microbes and reduce nutrient availability in plants. Adding organic matter - like compost, leaf mulch, or even coffee grounds - helps build living soil that produces flowers with richer pollen and nectar. Planting a diversity of flowering species across the growing season ensures bees have access to varied nutrition rather than relying on a single source.
Even if you don’t farm or garden, you can still play a role. Buying food from growers who use regenerative practices supports landscapes where bees thrive. Farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture programs often highlight their soil-friendly methods, from cover cropping to reduced tillage. Supporting these systems keeps soils alive and pollinators better nourished, closing the loop between what we eat and how bees survive.
As I write this, I’m just back from the hives, sticky from the last honey harvest of the season. The bees are settling down for the cooler months, and I’m reminded that every jar I’ve pulled depends not only on their work but on the unseen health of the soil beneath the flowers. It’s a quiet satisfaction to close the day knowing that tending the ground is as much a part of beekeeping as tending the bees themselves.