[jonsl]

..a field of knapweed.

 

[Grins]

Here in Montana knapweed is considered a noxious weed and many spray long acting broad leaf herbicides to control it. It is one of the few plants that can thrive in our dry and hot summers. I smile when nearby land glows purple with the flowers. Without it we'd have a dearth this time of year, instead it is a productive time for bees and will run into September.

Lee

 

[jonsl]

No herbicide here for these. The town maintains a 20 acre meadow behind the town hall. They mow half every other year to allow forage for pollinators to develop. Before the knapweed it was blackberries and milkweed.

Jon

 

[GregB]

Here in Montana knapweed ....Lee

Criss-crossed Montana.
Saw all that knapweed.
Excellent pastures.
Envious.
Actually trying to spread around knapweed seed, but too much competition for it.

 

[jonsl]

This fills a hole between linden and goldenrod. Most years, unless there's a drought, I don't have a dearth because of how different things come one after the other.

 

[wildbranch2007]

It is one of the few plants that can thrive in our dry and hot summers.

Lee

This fills a hole between linden and goldenrod. Most years, unless there's a drought, I don't have a dearth because of how different things come one after the other.

Hmm two conflicting statements, I have said for a while(without any proof) that when we have a dry period early that Knapp weed does great, waiting to see if it holds this year. also over the years if we don't get a reasonable amount of rain in early July, the goldenrod under performs. Your dates may vary (put in as a good politician would require)

 

[LarryBud]

I'm not that far away from Jonsl and I'm not seeing a dearth either-it is my first year and I've been waiting for it but the girls are working everyday. Where we are in on the edge of the coastal plain and while it can get dry, interaction between the hot air coming over the Appalachian Mountains to the west hitting the colder moist air of the Atlantic. Fairly mild climate. After being told not to expect any homney the first year, my two hives have full stores in the brood box and 3 supers on each 80% full. I hoping to harvest in the next week and hit the goldenrod flow to store honey frames for any winter emergencies.

 

[jonsl]

Yes, and due to the changing weather patterns we are seeing more regular rain during the summer.

Larry - when you pull the supers make sure you check for mites (alcohol wash or sugar roll). I had a count of 8 for a 300 sample when I pulled mine. Doing an Apiguard treatment now.

 

[LarryBud]

A lot of people, including our friends in Virginia, the Carolina's, Georgia and Alabama don't realize that the Piedmont starts in New Jersey at the Princeton Ridge and a lot of our weather here is very similar. No where near as hot the South nor anywhere near as cold as Mr. Wildbranch up in Syracuse, NY which is only 150 miles away on a straight line. Ocean effect!

I'm waiting on delivery of a double test jar and figure when I pull the hive apart for harvest, I'll do an alcohol wash. I'm also looking into a Verrox wand and asked about them on another thread. I had Apivar strips in the deeps just before I put the supers on in June. It's been 60 days so I'm a little nervous (first year) about mites. I was told to rotate the treatments. I'm planning on putting the wet frames back on the hives as soon as I process them and see what the girls do with the leftovers and the (hopeful) fall flow.

 

[jonsl]

If you treated end of May/beginning of June, I don't think you have to worry too much before end of August. However, do the wash after you pull the supers to make sure.

 

[LarryBud]

Updating continuing flow in New Jersey;
As I am currently trapped, working from home, I've been spending some quality time with both the dog and the girls (while trying to avoid a house full of women). In an earlier conversation about the a summer dearth, my girls have been occupied with something so I've taken to walking the dog (yes-she a female too) early in the morning and looking around to see wher they maybe working. It app[ears that we are having a pretty strong mint flow-what kind, no idea but I'm finding patches around here from a few plants-to a ten foot by ten foot to one area that's got to be a half an acre. I'm also seeing some mallow, peppers and there's a lot of more vegetable gardens in people's yards. It looks like the golden rod and asters are budding up nicely-seems to be a lot of plants around and I think we'll get a nice fall flow!
If I have any problem is some stuff I need to harvest hasn't arrived from Mann Lake-apparently due to COVID, shipping is running up to 15 days. It's mostly small stuff, I have a borrowed 4 frame extractor and mostly everything else so maybe next week. Going to tie down the hives, one has 4 mediums on top of two deep broods, apparently this storm is zeroing in on the Delaware Valley.