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List of Honey Plants - Including Honey/Pollen Yields Per Acre

17K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  JulieBee 
#1 ·
#3 ·
You're very welcome!
The list has definitely added to my planting list for this year. I already had plans to rip out the front lawn and replace with bee forage, now I'm looking at the back lawn too. :D
 
#4 ·
Before starting beekeeping, I had planted a bunch of native trees I liked. Most of these just happened to be good bee trees, sourwoods, tulip trees, hawthorns, black locust, pears to name a few.

We have a "dry" creek that borders our property. Some native mint grows thick along the bank. When it bloomed there would be thousands of bees of every kind. Bees I could not imagine. I was hooked watching them work. After that, I quit mowing a three foot section the length of the bank. Last year I started leaving large stands of clover in the yard. My wife was not excited about large stands of clover. After explaining I left it for the bees she was ok with it. One thing I noticed, honey bees would mostly move out of the mowers way, the bumble bees would not.

Late this winter, I cleaned out a thicket that was covered in vines and planted crimson clover. Also planted some smaller patches of hubam and ball clover.

Sorry for the long post, it is a rainy day and can't get outside to work much.

Shane
 
#5 ·
Looking at the production figures of honey for Linden.....my name means in German " the corner of the Linden tree" - not a bad name for a Beekeeper.
 
#6 ·
Shane, seriously sweet setup! I like it. :thumbsup: But where in the world did you find Hubam seed??? I'm jealous, I've looked for 6 weeks for a source and have been unable to locate even a teaspoon full.

Since mowing is my least favorite household chore, my plan is to replace the turf grass with creeping thyme interlaced with stands of New Zealand white clover, lavender, Russian sage, and various native wildflowers - creating a wild, windswept meadow look. My goal in life is to reduce mowing to once or twice a year (fingers crossed) while giving the bees a nice pasture. Although I have been known to brake the mower for bees or butterflies. I think they know me and are never in a hurry, because they know I will either wait for them to finish or I will go around and leave that area unmown until they're done. They have me wrapped and they know it, lol.

Max2 - You should be the best beekeeper in the world, with a name like that! Just remember us little beek people, once you sign your book deal & start your world lecturing tour :D
 
#9 ·
Hi,
Thanks for the link. I now have a list of great herbs for bees to plant this year. I was surprised to find out about the sunflowers as I thought they were really great for bees - was going to plant a lot (as I like them in the garden) but now, not so sure.

Jen
 
#10 ·
I am a sunflower fan myself, and that is kinda disturbing info. I normally always plant a patch of sunflowers, in fact I had already purchased my seeds for this year. I wonder if it is all sunflowers or just certain varieties?
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the research! I'm relieved, the garden was going to look lonely this year without sunflowers. But we're sunny again! Now if I can just figure out a fence that will keep determined groundhogs out. They LOVE sunflower seedlings and will go to great lengths to get to them.
 
#19 ·
The chart was developed by Dr. Vetaley Stashenko, who teaches apiculture at South University and Palm Beach College in Florida. But I have no idea how he came up with the calculations. You may be able to find his email address online and ask him.
 
#16 ·
Well, besides not wanting to mow the front yard, we went one step further. We dug some of it up for planting, but much of it was left to grow wild. What did we get? Dandelions, Tansy, Milkweed, White sweet clover, goldenrod, Ragweed, and wild mint. We added crocus, fruit trees, oregano, peas, spiderwort, and a few others. The bees wave and say thanks everytime they fly by.
 
#18 ·
Sounds gorgeous! Except for the ragweed...it makes my eyes swell shut. What is wild mint? I've never heard of it, but I love everything in the mint family, they are plants that I can't easily kill ;)
 
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