Balsam anyone?

[sandysman]

Has anyone seen signs of hb being brought in yet in the Notts/Derbs area?
Andy

 

[chrismcd]

How come it missed Notts/Derby?

It is going great guns in North Yorkshire and my bees are working it hard at the moment.

Lots of lovely "grey ghosts"

 

[sandysman]

It was the same for me this time last year, loads of grey ladies but this year, nada!

 

[Poly Hive]

I saw the pollen yesterday on the hind legs but nothing on the backs so... maybe is the answer.

PH

 

[madasafish]

In deepest darkest Staffs where the Northern Staffordshire Coalfield ends,the only way to see bees in the current gloom # is by the white trails left by bees foraging on HB..Lots in flower here..

# Now the pits are closed, the sky no longer glows at night or in cloudy weather...

 

[Winker]

its comming in by the super full here, i may have had a hand in it spreading this year

 

[hallshoney]

hardly any yet. valley 2 miles away usually 5ft high and in flower by now has nothing guess it must have had been sprayed off late last autumn

 

[peterbees]

Well, here in north Wales, a few early morning workers were bringing in balsam pollen this morning at 6am, while I was strapping the hives up and moving them to the heather.

 

[REDWOOD]

Nothing here, don't know if they have something better or the fact that a tractor with a frail has removed most of it from the hedge rows

 

[sarlyka]

Loads here. I might have helped it along a bit last season
Neighbours aren't too pleased though.

 

[REDWOOD]

Loads here. I might have helped it along a bit last season
Neighbours aren't too pleased though.

I've tried that, think something must of eaten it, sheep has my suspicions

 

[madasafish]

Loads here. I might have helped it along a bit last season
Neighbours aren't too pleased though.

schh : guerilla planting of HB is Illegal.

 

[ultreen1]

Is the pollen white?

 

[victor meldrew]

its comming in by the super full here, i may have had a hand in it spreading this year

For interest only , placing a plastic bag over the pods to catch the seeds which are ejected when the plant is subject to movement is one way of collecting them . Rolling them in soft wet clay type soil will create a weighty missile ,handy for throwing good distances . I iterate this is for interest only as the sowing of Balsam seed is illegal !!
VM

 

[Winker]

So if its illegal how come it says that Himalayan balsam is now a naturalised plant on the Royal Horticultural Society website Link

If its now naturalised its surly legal to plant it.

 

[Phayze]

loads of it here in leigh they've been coming in with it for over a week,spoke to someone who kills it for a living a few years back he said the seeds have upto a three year cycle when dispersed some may grow year 1 some year 2 some year 3 from original plant and each susequent plant does the same when it disperses seeds

 

[victor meldrew]

So if its illegal how come it says that Himalayan balsam is now a naturalised plant on the Royal Horticultural Society website Link

If its now naturalised its surly legal to plant it.

http://www.chesham.gov.uk/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=a7749023-eaf8-4d51-a551-a3e2e965c22c
VM

 

[Headnavigator]

Plenty here on the Island, in full flower and looking splendid. Ghost bees arriving for several days, which surprises me as the nearest balsam (as far as I can tell) is a good couple of miles away.

 

[Winker]

http://www.chesham.gov.uk/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=a7749023-eaf8-4d51-a551-a3e2e965c22c
VM

That was Published: 1st October 2010

My link was last updated Feb 27, 2012

So, i would go with the new info, just saying.

 

[sarlyka]

I haven't been planting it, just making sure the seeds are dispersed in my garden rather than destroyed by the neighbours, There's common land on one side of my garden and that's full of balsam. Council don't seem at all worried about it.