Block Planting for Bees

[Mothman]

I should have at least 2 plots to plant approx 10m x 3m on the allotment for nectar for my bees.

The soil is generally heavy clay. I intend to rotavate the plots before planting but they are likely to be quite weedy!

Can anyone recommend plants that would provide a good nectar crop, out compete the weeds and either self seed or be perennial so that maintenance is kept to a minimum. Our allotments are not at all strict as to what is planted - anything is better than perennial weeds!

At the moment I am thinking Alfalfa or Borage - but they don't like heavy soils apparently. OR Echium but which one?

 

[madasafish]

Phacelia does well on heavy soil and en masse covers very well.
Bees adore it.

 

[susbees]

Phacelia does well on heavy soil and en masse covers very well.
Bees adore it.

....and needs very deep top soil to give good nectar. We are on heavyish clay here and only see pollen being taken from Phacelia. Now borage - can't get enough of it


& no idea where that green grinning thing came from (or how to get rid of it)!

 

[Dishmop]

I should have at least 2 plots to plant approx 10m x 3m on the allotment for nectar for my bees.

The soil is generally heavy clay. I intend to rotavate the plots before planting but they are likely to be quite weedy!

Can anyone recommend plants that would provide a good nectar crop, out compete the weeds and either self seed or be perennial so that maintenance is kept to a minimum. Our allotments are not at all strict as to what is planted - anything is better than perennial weeds!

At the moment I am thinking Alfalfa or Borage - but they don't like heavy soils apparently. OR Echium but which one?

If your bees are anything like the ones in my garden, they'll leave the hive and fly off into the distance without even looking at what is on their doorstep.

 

[Goran]

Aster alpina, maybe? In first year of planting gives flowers with nectar and pollen. Late flowering ( september) at my place. Once planted no need for replanting, countless seedlings can give in a later years. Decorative. If you want pics, I can post it here how it looks at my place..

 

[Suzi Q]

I sowed some seeds last year, echium vulgare, next to some limnanthes douglasii or poached egg plant. The echium didn't make it, swamped out by the poached egg plant! The bees love it however, and its pretty, yellow and white and will seed itself so will come up year after year. Himalayan Balsom, if your allotment committee allows it!

 

[Finman]

.
You could make better the soil with thick layer of autumn leaves. 4 inches is a good start.

Ever bearing raspberry is a good nectar plant. Variety Polka is great. Its blooming period is long if you fertilize the cultivation.

Polka spreads vigorously. You need not many sprouts at the beginning.

.

 

[madasafish]

Poached egg is invasive (but pretty).

HB is even more invasive..

 

[Mothman]

Himalayan Balsom, if your allotment committee allows it!

No allotment Committee! not sure where i would get seed though.....

 

[Travelator]

Two things to say:

1. Bees are actually quite keen on perennial weeds (dandelions, ivy, etc)

2. Waste of time planting for nectar close to your apiary unless you're looking at many acres or you have enough time to grow mature trees. However, plants that produce plenty of pollen at the beginning and end of the season could be very beneficial.

 

[peteinwilts]

add lots and lots of horse poo and grow borage. The plants I grow are 5-6 feet tall, 5 feet across and flowers for a good amount of time. the whole area buzzes.

I planted a couple of plants a few years ago in between other plants and has self seeded.

 

[madasafish]

.
You could make better the soil with thick layer of autumn leaves. 4 inches is a good start.

Ever bearing raspberry is a good nectar plant. Variety Polka is great. Its blooming period is long if you fertilize the cultivation.

Polka spreads vigorously. You need not many sprouts at the beginning.

.

Yes it's nice . got two rows: was one two years ago

 

[Tom Bick]

Phacelia and Borage they attract all kinds of insects including honeybees and self seed easily but watch out they will be popping up all over the place in years to come.

The Borage can literally hum with the bees on it it’s a great thing to sit and watch.

 

[Suzi Q]

No allotment Committee! not sure where i would get seed though.....

Oh! You're lucky....I could send you some seed next year, autumn.

 

[QueenMaster]

Rapeseed, Phacelia, Mustard, Echium, Borago, Aster, Verbesina Alternifolia, Sainfoin, Melilot, ...

Front of the hive is a shitodrom don't plant up to 2 meters in front.

 

[richardbees]

and leave some space for a patch of Michaelmas Daisies for a late pollen source ...

 

[waverider]

If your bees are anything like the ones in my garden, they'll leave the hive and fly off into the distance without even looking at what is on their doorstep.

 

[beebop]

Helleborus foetidus,perenial native , a good early necter source. Limanathes is a great bee plant, it does self seed and can spread but easy to hoe off if it's in the wrong place. Phacelia for later in the season,annual but will self seed. All do well on my heavy clay. Please don't plant Himalayan balasm.Echium vulgare likes well drained sandy soils so maybe not the best choice for your heavy clay. Beebop

 

[mbc]

I should have at least 2 plots to plant approx 10m x 3m on the allotment for nectar for my bees.

The soil is generally heavy clay. I intend to rotavate the plots before planting but they are likely to be quite weedy!

Can anyone recommend plants that would provide a good nectar crop, out compete the weeds and either self seed or be perennial so that maintenance is kept to a minimum. Our allotments are not at all strict as to what is planted - anything is better than perennial weeds!

At the moment I am thinking Alfalfa or Borage - but they don't like heavy soils apparently. OR Echium but which one?

The plots you describe are too small to make a significant impact on the locally available forage so my suggestion would be to plant them with other motives in mind too, either a variety of flowering plants with a good through season spread of nectar and pollen and make it as decorative as possible and/or go for other crops too, fruiting trees, veg and herbs.

 

[PBee]

I should have at least 2 plots to plant approx 10m x 3m on the allotment for nectar for my bees.

The soil is generally heavy clay. I intend to rotavate the plots before planting but they are likely to be quite weedy!

Can anyone recommend plants that would provide a good nectar crop, out compete the weeds and either self seed or be perennial so that maintenance is kept to a minimum. Our allotments are not at all strict as to what is planted - anything is better than perennial weeds!

At the moment I am thinking Alfalfa or Borage - but they don't like heavy soils apparently. OR Echium but which one?

For early pollen source and general wildlife value (especially moths) Willows are hard to beat. They coppice well and you can use the wood for burning or basketmaking. I think the earliest pollen source is purple willow and they will use it if its close to the hives at that time of year and the weather is favourable. http://www.rfs.org.uk/learning/Willows