[oldrockbees]

Check the girls yesterday and getting close to harvesting my first honey. I have 3 questions:
1. I run mediums and all 9 frames have honey in them but each one has only about 1/2-2/3 capped. Do I wait until all capped or what?
2. Should I harvest now or add another super. If add another super, do I wait until all capped or what?
3. If I add another super, since sourwood is starting to come out now, will that honey be sourwood honey?
Thanks for the input folks.

 

[mike haney]

1.dont wait for capping
2.wait for capping to harvest. add a super now.
3.that depends on the bees.
good luck,mike

 

[honeyman46408]

2. or 2 supers now keep them bizzy

 

[clarkfarm]

If this is a new hive this year and you have been feeding sugar water you do not want to harvest honey from the boxes that were on the hive while you were feeding. Assuming you are not feeding now, place a new super on and wait for that to be capped.

I am a third year bee keeper but let my bees keep all their honey the first year so I have had only one harvest year up to now. It is my understanding from beekeepers on this forum who have more experience, however, that you do not want to take too much uncapped honey in any one harvest because that honey has too much moisture and will not keep well. There are threads about that on this forum. Good luck.