Hi everyone

[Graham S]

Just a quick message to say Hi!

New to the grapevine so looking forward to advice and contributing.

Quick summary
Live in Hertfordshire.
Grown veg all my life to some degree, large productive allotment for the past four years. Grow most things (or attempt too).
Keep chickens - 12 at current time.
Keep Bees (lovely honey!!!) - 20,000+ and rising.

cheers
Graham

[Flummery]

Welcome Graham, you're going to be one of the experienced ones we call on in times of drama, I can see. I hope you enjoy it here - it's almost as addictive as gardening!

[Birdie Wife]

Hi Graham, sounds like a lovely place you've got there. I'd love to keep bees but I just don't know if there would be enough for them to feed on up here... I keep chickens too, 10 at the mo, rising to 12 at the weekend good to have you on board.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine.

[SarzWix]

Hello Graham, welcome to the 'Vine

[megan]

Hi Graham i would love to keep bees.welcome aboard.

[Nicos]

Hello there Graham!!...and welcome to the Vine!
Good to have another chicken and bee keeper here- I can't have either myself, but enjoy hearing about what they all get up to!
One question for you.....

...If I were to plant flowers esp for the bees, what would you choose for them??( I presume you need 3 seasons of flowers and something to make the honey extra tasty??)
Maybe the other bee keepers could suggest a few flowers too??
I ask because there are 8 hives near our lottie and I planted loads of daffs for me but thought they'd be great for the early bees and they just don't go near them- I suppose they're off elsewhere??

[SarzWix]

Good question Nicos, I'd like to know that too. I've only just found space for flowers and I'm already planning Echinacea, Limnanthes (poached egg), Nasturtiums & Sunflowers, but they're all summer ones and I don't know what to choose for Spring & Autumn

[terrier]

Hi Graham.

[yoanbob]

Hi graham and welcome,
we used to have chooks ans ducks but mr urban fox came twice and wiped us out.
so untill we win the lottery to get proper fencing thats it for now.
I would love to keep bees but persuading OH and locals would be an issue. we live a mile from the city centre and are surounded by council estates, are plot is the the only one.
we will no doubt be asking you questons shortly.

[Graham S]

flowers for bees

Hi Nicos,

Honey bees tend to go for 'mass plantings' so this time of year all the tree blossom will be their main food supply if the weather is warm enough for them to venture out. Then comes rape seed, then borage etc. So I'm afraid they probably won't visit your daffs. Solitary bees will (should) but I think the larger bumble have problems getting in the trumpet. You might find holes at the base of the trumpet where the larger bees have pierced a hole to get at the nectar.
What I tend to plant on my allotment is Phacelia tanacetifolia (the green manure), lovely blue flower with feathery leaves. (I buy mine from Organic Gardening.) I stagger the showing through Spring, Summer, and Autumn and the bees love it - honey and bumble bees aswell as hoverflies. Its pretty hardy so will over winter and provide 'food' in early spring. When its finished flowering , chop it down and dig it in. You can let it self seed but then the plants pop up all over the palce!
Other plants I have tried with little success is clover and buckwheat - good for manure but I didn't see a bee within a mile of the stuff.

Hope this helps
cheers
Graham

Hello there Graham!!...and welcome to the Vine!
Good to have another chicken and bee keeper here- I can't have either myself, but enjoy hearing about what they all get up to!
One question for you.....

...If I were to plant flowers esp for the bees, what would you choose for them??( I presume you need 3 seasons of flowers and something to make the honey extra tasty??)
Maybe the other bee keepers could suggest a few flowers too??
I ask because there are 8 hives near our lottie and I planted loads of daffs for me but thought they'd be great for the early bees and they just don't go near them- I suppose they're off elsewhere??

[Nicos]

Scorpion weed....what a pretty flower!

I think that one'll certainly be going on my shopping list!

Scorpion weed - Phacelia tanacetifolia - English Nature

[Headfry]

Hi Graham, Welcome!
I am a newbie bee keeper, just the one hive housing small colony collected late last year! fingers very much crossed for them. I hope to get another hive this year and the last one next year!
How long have you kept bees?
Sooooo good to have another bee keeper here!

[Graham S]

Hi Headfry,

this is our third season, we have 3 hives but only one occupied at present.

I have to admit that my OH looks after the bees, I have enough with the chucks and allotment - I'm just the 'muscle' to lift the supers around most of the time. So any hard bee questions I'll direct to my wife.
cheers
Graham

[carlseawolf]

hello and welcome