Beginner

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What's the problem with garlic chives? Do they become invasive?

it gives her wind

 

[Murox]

What's the problem with garlic chives? Do they become invasive?

Only if you don't eat them but they do seed plentifully.

 

[Amari]

May feel secure and you are determined, but it sounds risky to me (but then I've had a colony taken from a more secure site than this). You haven't confirmed it, but I guess that the private road is accessible from the public. Once word gets out - it will, in time - it only takes a few minutes to load hives into a Transit.

That's very pessimistic Eric, maybe thieves are more common in the Home Counties. I've not heard of any hive rustling in these parts in 23 years and Norfolk is probably the same.

 

[Moobee]

What's the problem with garlic chives? Do they become invasive?

Hugely invasive. I’ve spent the last 7 years trying to eradicate them from my large border. They spread by seed and bulblets that break away from the main bulb. These are so tiny (smaller than a grain of rice) that it’s easy to miss a few and so it goes on.
I had a mass effort at digging through the whole bed during lockdown and filled a wheely bin with the blasted things (it was easier to throw a clump away sometimes) and they not only wheedle themselves between all your plants but can spring up from really deep too and keep popping up around the garden (composting doesn’t seem to kill them). They’re already sprouting so I’ll be making sure I chop the flowers off as they appear and have another bash at digging them up as soon as the rain stops…..
Can you tell I’m not a fan?

 

[ericbeaumont]

That's very pessimistic Eric, maybe thieves are more common in the Home Counties. I've not heard of any hive rustling in these parts in 23 years and Norfolk is probably the same.

Yes, I probably worry too much. On the other hand, when it happens it is a nasty experience and ends the use of that apiary (they might come back).

 

[Rory Fields]

Depends. If you plant crocus, snowdrops, hellebores, winter honeysuckle and willow they won’t.

Think it also ofc depends on how close you plant them if they've got plenty of other sources - sure I read an abstract/summary of a study once that found bees will preferentially forage a certain distance from the hive - the reason suggested was that waggle-dances didn't work when recruiting other foragers to within feet of where they already are - I could be wrong though, I've seen mine on phacelia and borage by the hives but more often they seem to get little attention, same with damp areas near hives where they choose similarly puddled and muddy areas 50m away a favoured source of water.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Think it also ofc depends on how close you plant them if they've got plenty of other sources

My hives are surrounded by crocus
They seem to find them no problem.
Perhaps they don’t need waggles? Perhaps each bee stumbles upon a flower by accident.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

it's quite simple, for food sources near to the colony the waggle dance is unable to convey the (shorter) distance to the goodies, but a scout/forager can convey to the colony that there is a source of food very close to them so the bees just scramble and, depending on how urgently the discoverer can convey the news to other foragers a bit of a hide and seek frenzy can ensue.
I remember quite a few years ago, during extracting a stack of wet supers I had by the back door awaiting puthing back in the store fell over and the gardens three doors to each side of Brynmair were no go areas for the rest of the day as the bees in the home apiary were all over the shop trying to find the source of free honey.

 

[Rory Fields]

My hives are surrounded by crocus
They seem to find them no problem.
Perhaps they don’t need waggles? Perhaps each bee stumbles upon a flower by accident.

It'd be interesting to know! Well beyond my brainpower though. I wonder if the crocus are one of few things flowering so early and so beggars can't be choosy?

 

[Terryc123]

Yes, a thriver! Terry's area is ripe for it. Has a long flowering season and is brilliant for pollinators.

Just notice on your icon. Used to live in North London?? thats where I am from!!

 

[ericbeaumont]

thats where I am from

Reveal the detail, Terry.

 

[Terryc123]

Lived in Barnet for 30 odd years!!

 

[thorn]

Yes, I probably worry too much. On the other hand, when it happens it is a nasty experience and ends the use of that apiary (they might come back).

I read the answer without reading who you were replying to. I assumed it was JBM

 

[ericbeaumont]

Lived in Barnet for 30 odd years!!

Very smart, Terry, almost not London. I've been in Hackney for 35 years (before gentrification arrived).