Borage as forage

[Monbees]

On the basis that bees love borage at this time of year, l am thinking of planting a borage patch in my wildflower area.

Is the borage planted commercially the same as that available as a garden plant or is it some other variety? I ask because the borage plants l already have in my garden flower earlier than mid July, in May/June and have just about gone over by now.

 

[xray7]

Borage is the same although now it is rarely planted commercially as it is not economic to do so. Borage is good for the Beekeeper but not so good for the bees as the prickly leaves shred their wings and shorten their life...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if you are going to the tradex or WBKA conventions next year (Covid permitting) we usually have a sack of borage seed on the stall sold for a few quid per half pound.

 

[WoodenBeam]

prickly leaves shred their wings and shorten their life...

Haven’t heard that one before............
Shredded wings & deformed wing virus but shredded wings & borage???

 

[Monbees]

Haven’t heard that one before............
Shredded wings & deformed wing virus but shredded wings & borage???

I was querying that too! Surely bees don't spend time walking about on the leaves, but hover in front of the flowers before alighting and taking nectar or pollen, whichever borage offers?

 

[enrico]

Borage is one of those plants that flower a certain time after being down as long as it is warm enough. Yours are overwintered seedlings that flower in spring but if down in spring they will flower the same year. You can easily get a succession. As does phacelia.
E

 

[Monbees]

Borage is the same although now it is rarely planted commercially as it is not economic to do so. Borage is good for the Beekeeper but not so good for the bees as the prickly leaves shred their wings and shorten their life...

I am surprised you say not much sown these days as not economic. Fields of it around here, and I understood the value of borage/starflower oil is high? I am not a farmer, so happy to stand corrected!

 

[Niv]

I have had borage in flower since spring and still in flower now. Not the same plants, they self seed like mad.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am surprised you say not much sown these days as not economic. Fields of it around here, and I understood the value of borage/starflower oil is high? I am not a farmer, so happy to stand corrected!

I know quite a few commercials who take their bees to the borage - the Bees Abroad seeds sold at the tradex is in fact a kind donation from a borage farmer.

 

[pargyle]

I know quite a few commercials who take their bees to the borage - the Bees Abroad seeds sold at the tradex is in fact a kind donation from a borage farmer.

My mentor has a site on a farm somewhere up the Meon Valley where the farmer has several fields of Borage every year ... he keeps the location very secret. I like Borage honey .. very light and not a strong taste - I buy a few jars from him every year .. He's getting on a bit and I've got first dibs on his site when he's had enough !

 

[Monbees]

flower identification

I thought I had borage in the garden but this plant has rounded petals, not the star shaped flower that gives its name to the oil. What else might this plant be? the leaves are a bit hairy but not really spikey

 

[xray7]

I suppose I should have qualified my remark by saying that in my part of the country Borage ceased to be grown for economic reasons.
The last time I took my bees to the Borage some years ago the farmer was growing a field of Borage under contract to a seed merchant.He told me that the merchant stipulated in the contract that he must have a minimum of so many hives per acre. This was to do with pollination and commercial beekeepers earn an income from pollination services which is perhaps as important to them as obtaining honey.


Speaking to very experienced beekeepers who have done a lot of this in the past I am told that honeybees foraging on Borage do suffer damage to their wings and consequently have a shorter life and if you ever get the chance to examine a field of Borage where the plants are down very close together it's not hard to see why. However if you are only growing a few plants widely spaced then it's not so much of an issue.

 

[Swarm]

I thought I had borage in the garden but this plant has rounded petals, not the star shaped flower that gives its name to the oil. What else might this plant be? the leaves are a bit hairy but not really spikey

It's Green Alkanet. The bees love it but it takes over and has a very long tap root.

 

[Monbees]

It's Green Alkanet. The bees love it but it takes over and has a very long tap root.

That's the one Steve, you describe it exactly! I am disabused after all these years thinking it was borage, but l think of the same family?

 

[Swarm]

I think it is fairly close to Comfrey and heard a common name for it is 'iron root'. I dug up a fair patch of it some years ago and it goes down a long way.

 

[whizzwheels]

I planted some borage in the garden this year near the beehives and have yet to see a bee on them

 

[WoodenBeam]

I quite like the Borage, haven’t noticed any adverse effects on the bees & they do build up quickly on it.
That said with strong busy colonies if there is something amiss.........Chronic Bee Paralyse Virus springs to mind, this could reek havoc.

 

[enrico]

I planted some borage in the garden this year near the beehives and have yet to see a bee on them

How close? Bees don't seem to forage on plants close to the hive. I t hink it has to do with the fact that they can't identify to other bees where it is if it is too close!
E

 

[whizzwheels]

How close? Bees don't seem to forage on plants close to the hive. I t hink it has to do with the fact that they can't identify to other bees where it is if it is too close!
E

One clump is about 5 meters away but there are other plants and a water source in between that they readily forage on, will have to try planting them in the front garden next year.
Either that or they are spoilt for choice for flower in the garden at the moment.

 

[drex]

One garden will not provide sufficient feed for a hive. They will forage within a mile or two of the colony, so where the bees are sited is the main factor ( although some of us have little choice n this). Rarely do I plant specifically for the bees, although I will favour pollinator friendly