Professional Seminar: A Garden That Doesn’t Harm Bees

Speaker

Executive Director and Technical Advisor at bioTomal, s.r.o. (SK)

He is among Slovakia’s leading specialists in biological plant protection and plant nutrition. For more than 35 years, he has focused on plant diseases and pests, with an emphasis on integrated and ecological, sustainable solutions.

Throughout his professional career, he has contributed to several research and applied projects focused on improving plant health, increasing production quality, and introducing modern solutions into practice. He shares his expertise with professionals, growers, and institutions not only in Slovakia, but also in France, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Georgia, where he is active in consulting and educational work.

Seminar topic

The seminar is designed for beekeepers who are also growers and want to protect their colonies without limiting their own growing practices. It focuses on how to set up plant protection in a way that does not burden bees, how to minimize chemical stress around apiaries, and at the same time better manage varroa pressure inside hives. Participants will receive practical recommendations on how to align fruit, vegetable, and ornamental plant growing with bee-friendly biological approaches that support bee vitality, reduce the risk of colony losses, and lead to more stable colonies.

Seminar Agenda

• Beekeeper as a grower: the impact of one’s own interventions on bee health
• Plant protection near hives: where the most common risks arise
• Chemical stress in bees and its link to weakened colonies
• Mites in beehives – why they thrive in weakened colonies
• How to align plant protection and mite management
• Bee-friendly biological practices in orchards, vegetable production, and gardens
• Practical recommendations for beekeeper-growers
• Discussion and exchange of experience