At Bellingen Honey, we’ve always believed that the relationship between bees, plants, and people is far deeper than most of us realise. Honey isn’t just a delicious, natural sweetener, it's part of a much larger ecosystem story. One of the lesser-known uses of honey is its ability to help gardeners successfully propagate native plants. And when you choose to grow natives, you’re giving a huge boost to your garden, your local wildlife, and the health of the entire Bellingen Valley.
Let’s explore how it all connects.
Honey: Nature’s Antibacterial Rooting Aid
Most gardeners know that cuttings often fail because of bacteria or fungal infection. Commercial rooting hormones exist, but many people prefer a natural alternative. That’s where raw, unprocessed honey shines.
How Honey Helps Your Cuttings
Natural antibacterial properties
Raw honey contains enzymes like glucose oxidase, which produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide. This helps protect delicate plant cuttings from pathogens while they establish roots.
Moisture sealant
Honey forms a protective coat over the wounded cutting end, reducing the risk of rot.
Encourages root development
While honey isn’t a synthetic rooting hormone, studies and gardener experience show that cuttings dipped in honey often strike well—especially soft-wooded natives.
Chemical-free and gentle
Many synthetic rooting powders contain synthetic hormones. Honey is a natural, biodegradable alternative that supports an eco-conscious approach.
How to Use Honey for Propagation
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Take a fresh cutting from your native plant.
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Lightly scrape the base to encourage root initiation.
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Dip the stem end into raw, local honey—Bellingen Honey is ideal because it’s untreated and full of active enzymes.
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Plant into a moist propagating mix suited to Australian natives (low phosphorus for many species).
Simple, clean, and effective.
Why Propagating Native Plants Benefits Your Garden
Choosing to grow and propagate native plants isn’t just good for the environment—it transforms your garden into a healthier, more vibrant, more resilient space.
1. Native Plants Attract Native Pollinators
Your garden becomes a mini-ecosystem that supports:
native bees
butterflies
beneficial insects
birds
These pollinators rely on native plants for nectar and habitat—and in return, they help your garden flourish.
2. Low Maintenance, High Reward
Native species are naturally adapted to Bellingen’s rainfall, soils, and seasons. They:
require less water
need less fertiliser
resist local pests
handle our humidity better than many exotics
They reduce the time and resources needed to maintain a lush garden.
3. Improve Soil Health and Biodiversity
Native plants help create a living soil through:
mycorrhizal relationships
leaf litter that feeds microbes
habitat for beneficial insects and soil organisms
More biodiversity = a more resilient garden.
4. Support Local Wildlife
Species like:
honeyeaters
possums
native bees
frogs
…all rely on local flora for food and shelter. When you plant natives, you’re building a safe haven for them.
5. A Garden That Feels Like Home
There’s something beautiful about seeing plants that truly belong here—banksias, tea trees, bottlebrush, grevilleas, lilly pillies, native ferns.
They connect your outdoor space to the forest, riverbanks, and ridges that define the our landscape.
The Perfect Partnership: Bees, Honey & Natives
Honey exists because bees forage on flowers, many of them native. When you plant more natives, you support local beekeepers, strengthen pollinator populations, and increase the diversity of nectar sources that produce rich, flavourful honey.
And when you use a little honey to help propagate those very same plants, you’re closing the loop.
It’s a small action with big positive ripple effects.