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bee plantings

3K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  BULLSEYE BILL 
#1 ·
I'm doing a new seeding of alfalfa in a 12 acre field next spring. If one wanted to plant some items for the bees to feed on along the fringes of the field, what would be some good ideas. I'm looking for something that once germinated will survive a few years so as not to have to plant each year. I've heard that yellow and sweet clover is good, any other ideas? Steve
 
#2 ·
I've always said I think the main use for planting for bees is to fill in the gaps in the flow. Something that blooms early or late, makes a lot of nectar and lasts a while is nice.

Asters and goldenrod are nice for late bloomers. The seeds for both are very expensive. Chickory is a nice late blooming perinnial and is cheaper than the goldenrod but not as cheap as clover.

of course, white or sweet clover are nice all around since they blooms for a long time and is a good producer of nectar.

You can plant some buckwheat in the early spring and some more in the late spring and some more in late summer to fill the spring, summer drought, and fall niches. It will go to seed (if you let it) and will reseed itself, but it is an annual and a late frost can kill a lot of it.

I'm sure there are others. I've been planting white dutch clover, chickory and goldenrod, myself.
 
#3 ·
Gee, Michael. I never thought of the bees when I planted chicory this past spring. Being Italian, I grew it for braising with garlic and pasta and when it started making flowers I left it cause it was so pretty! Now I'm glad I did. Haven't seen the girls working it though. There's something absolutely irresistable growing out by the bay because they're all bypassing all the goodies in our yard (goldenrod, asters, chicory, etc) and beelining to the marsh across the street.
 
#7 ·
Look at Hive and the Honeybee for major and minor honey crops in your area. Then go with what finances and availability allow you to do.

Where I am at I have planted some tulip poplar. I have tried some buckwheat. I have planted dandelion (anyone willing to save seed for me this year can get some free mead!!!) but it was a different kind. I have also planted 10 pounds of clover last year. It was the ladino variety (a white perennial, 8-12"tall) and when planted according to local state guidelines did flower well in the spring and bees were seen working it. I got drunk on the smell!!! Recently I just finished planting an additional 50# of the ladino and feel blessed for the rains of Jeanne to keep the sprouts going. I am hoping that I can make some clover honey this next year.

So play around with some stuff, read Hive and HoneyBee, talk to local beekeepers and have some fun.
 
#9 ·
Pumpkinpiper, Bullseye Bill gave me the phone number of a farmers supply where I could get some hubam clover. I got it planted late and it is just now in full bloom. The bees are all over it. The clover is about six feet tall and loaded with blooms. It looks a lot like white blossem sweet clover. I planted sweet clover with it to give me clover next year. I am sure you could use the hubam for hay.
Nursebee, I harvewsted some dandelion this year. I promised Michael Bush some which will go out within a few days. Send me an email and I will send you some. ewhite@pmt.org. I have come up with a contraption that should help me gather a lot more dandelion next spring.Best wishes, Earl White
 
G
#10 ·
>> I've been planting white dutch clover, chickory and goldenrod, myself

MB do you plant goldenrod from seed you gather yourself or do you have a source you buy it from? If you buy it could you give me your source?

Thx

Dan
 
#11 ·
>MB do you plant goldenrod from seed you gather yourself or do you have a source you buy it from?

Last year we had a bumper crop of two types of G-rod. I gathered eight shopping bags of seed and scattered it in a nearby draw. The area where I broadcast the seed is showing a scattering of plants, so I had some sucess, but it is by no means booming for the amount of seed that I put out.

I don't think it is reasonable to think that buying a small amount of seed is going to make much difference as a nectar source. Find an area with lots of plants and pick your own, at the $180 figure that MB's source quoted, you would be dissapointed with the results.
 
#12 ·
It should be noted that all sweet clovers (Melilotus) can be a hazard for livestock. When used as hay, if it is not well cured and kept dry, it can develop contamination from compounds that act as blood thinners.

Dry hay is fine. There is all kinds of info on the net about Melilotus species and use in hay.

see http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Crops/Sweet_clovers.html
 
#13 ·
>MB do you plant goldenrod from seed you gather yourself or do you have a source you buy it from? If you buy it could you give me your source?
http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/sol.rigid.htm

is where I got mine. Here's another source:
http://www.prairienursery.com/SpeciesASP/srpage.asp

>at the $180 figure that MB's source quoted, you would be dissapointed with the results.

I might be dissapointed. I haven't tried it yet, but I am hoping if I get a few stands started nearby it might spread. It is probably well worth your effort to gather it rather than buy at since it's so expensive.

Supposedly the seed you buy is "pure live seed" without the chaff, so in theory you will get much more seeds per pound that you get gathering yourself. In other words a grocery bag of self gathered doesn't equal a grocery bag of bought "pure live seed", but one is still free and the other is still very expensive and both have about the potential to spread goldenrod in your area.
 
G
#15 ·
We planted 40 lbs of 4 differnt clovers.planted red clover down along the dirt road.was lucky to get 25 vitex trees this year. they bloom summer to fall. went to woods pulled up a few pop corn trees, i hope i do'nt regret that . hoping to get a year round honey flow .
 
#16 ·
>I might be dissapointed. I haven't tried it yet, but I am hoping if I get a few stands started nearby it might spread.

If you are going to buy seed, get the umbrella type. According to Skip Taylor it is the best nectar producer. It is about 18 to 24 inches tall and has roundish leaves.

>went to woods pulled up a few pop corn trees, i hope i do'nt regret that .

Here is a discussion and a link to another major thread.
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001694.html

I won't hurt, but if I was going to plant a tree for bees in my area I would (and have) plant tulip popular, black locust, little leaf linden, and Japanese Pagoda. Acadia is another major if it will live in your area.
http://www.apitherapy.com/beeplnts.htm
 
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