Flower Seed for bees

[Craig W.]

I bought the following flower seed to plant this spring for my bees.
1. Mix Butterfly Bush
2. Golden Rod
3. Gay Butterflies Butterfly weed. I hope my girls ain't gay.
4. Soul mate Butterfly weed.
5. Milkmaid Butterfly Weed.
6. Happy End Alpine Aster
7. New York Aster
8. Smooth Blue Aster

Any comments or suggestions?

[magnet-man]

Lots of butterfly in the names. Is this seed mix targeted to bees or butterflies. The reason why I ask is some flowers that butterflies feed on bees cann't.

[magnet-man]

I can't help but put this in. I saw Bush, girls, gay, soul mate.

Did you know that Bush’s Vice-President’s girls are both pregnant? Cheny’s gay daughter and her soul mate are having a baby. smile.gif

Are these flowers for a flower bed or a field. If for a field why not plant clover?

[ December 06, 2006, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: magnet-man ]

[stangardener]

i have read that butterfly selections of seeds can be good choices for bees. the marketers don't like to associate their product with stinging insects.

[Panhandle Bee man]

They are mostly late summer to early fall flowers. They should give some necter for the girls to winter on.

[power napper]

Globe thistle--bought some seeds on ebay to plant for the bees next year!

[Maine_Beekeeper]

Second, third and fourth the Globe thistle. Bees working it every single time I looked, including at dusk just about every night while it was in bloom. I cut back after bloom and got a second bloom off it as well.
Swamp sunflower is also fantastic.

[Maine_Beekeeper]

Second, third and fourth the Globe thistle. Bees working it every single time I looked, including at dusk just about every night while it was in bloom. I cut back after bloom and got a second bloom off it as well.
Swamp sunflower is also fantastic.

[Maine_Beekeeper]

Second, third and fourth the Globe thistle. Bees working it every single time I looked, including at dusk just about every night while it was in bloom. I cut back after bloom and got a second bloom off it as well.
Swamp sunflower is also fantastic.

[BjornBee]

Ok, Maine, I'm trying to count the seconds, third and fourth's, but its mind blowing this early in the morning. If you second, third, and fourth something three times upon itself, what are we talking? :D

Craig, being from Texas, I am reminded of a commercial for I beleive "Pace - salsa sauce". Some dirty type cowboy hands are sitting around a campfire in the commercial, and upon finding out where the sauce came from, one exclaims "Neeeuuuww Yooooork Ceeety!".

I can see the same guy in my mind saying "Neeeuuuw Yooooork Aaaasteeeeer!" While shakin his head in disbelief.

Of course if you never seen this commercial, you probably are scatching your head.

[BjornBee]

Anything that blooms after the main flow is over is a good choice. Around here we usually have slim pickings from mid July to the start of September. Anything blooming in those time frames ig good. Not sure about Texas, but the same concept applies.

[Hobie]

Just don't be discouraged if you don't see any butterfly weed for a few years. It's a slow starter. I had given up on mine, and then 2 years later, bingo! Butterfly weed. (Just be careful what you weed out in the interim.)

[Craig W.]

Thanks BjornBee I know the commercial well, "Get the Rope."

[Fuzzy]

Cosmos -- For Pollen June thru Oct
Mexican Sage -- Nectar
Russian sage -- nectar
Rosemary -- nectar
Lavendar -- nectar thru winter

All will require irrigation to keep alive in your area.

[BjornBee]

Maybe instead of just having a "Honey Exchange", it could be expanded to include seed swaps, and other beekeeping related items. Queens, pollen, etc. Why stop at just honey?

[Tulipwood]

I have several different varieties of Butterfly Bush (Buglia) but have never noticed that the bees like them.

I did read in one of Eva Crane's books that bees are fond of Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) which is also a good cover crop. I was able to obtain some of these seeds online from Specialty Perennials in Apple Valley, MI.(www.hardyplants.com) and am going to try sowing them next year.

[Craig W.]

These that I bought stated that bees liked them. I found some of these mentioned on this site some on others.

[Walliebee]

Anything in the mint family is great! (lots of garden worthy choices here!) Plus, all will do great in a Texas garden.

for example:
catmint's, catnip, beebalm's, lemon balm, hyssop's, Agastache's, basil's, peppermint, spearment.

any salvia's (perennial types are best)
borage
thyme
ornamental cabbage/kale, mustard, collards.

[James Henderson]

If you can find any climbing hempvine (Mikania scandens) along the edge of wetlands, put this along your fence line. It blooms from summer to frost. Honeybees and beneficial insects flock to it. The more you water it, the more it grows. After the freeze, cut it back to the ground.

If you are passing through Baton Rouge, give me a call. Got lots of shoots to spare in one of my gardens.

A good fall to winter plant in the south is climbing aster (Aster carolinianis). Will likely survive freeze in protected weather. Bout the only flowering plant in my yard this time of year and bees love it. You can mail order starts in the spring from many wildflower nurseries.