Janet Twomey from the Parish of Carrigaline sent ECI this update:
Sunflower ‘Teddy Bear’ seeds were recently distributed at the Sunday Children’s Mass in Carrigaline. Families have started to sow the seeds and they have already come up in their seed trays. They will soon be ready to be planted in the soil. Reaching a height of 40cm, they are easy to take care of. They are so eye-catching with their bright orange flower and should be in full bloom by mid-Summer, especially if the sun shines.
As we all know, our bee populations are in decline because of climate change but a new study relating to sunflower pollen has given us some hope! Researchers in the University of Massachusetts have found that Honeybees fed on a diet of sunflower pollen have much lower rates of infection. Bumblebees fed on a sunflower diet have better colony health than bees fed on diets of other flower pollens. Let’s hope that our bee population will flock to Carrigaline and enjoy the pollen produced by these beautiful sunflowers.
“Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs up, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs” (Laudato Si’ 1).