crystallizing honey

[Murox]

The jar I kept from my first year in summer 2019 has hardly any crystallisation whereas the jar from summer 2022 has completely set already. Regarding the different textures of naturally set, what determines whether it sets into either smooth or coarse crystals?

Its the Fructose and Glucose levels plus your storage temperatures."........ as an indicator of its granulating tendency , we should bear in mind the significance of a high fructose content in preventing granulation............."

 

[Curly green finger's]

I had a natural soft set for the first time this year. My sycamore honey at home softly crystallised with v fine smooth crystals . I tried extracting the pollen with a centrifuge but could only see sycamore. What nectar do you think could have caused the fine crystals? Rape isn’t in my part of Yorkshire @Curly green finger's
I’m thinking clover as there are a few fields of unimproved grassland nearby and I think it’s pollen is under represented in honey . The warm spring / June may have helped a flow for the first time as I’m at altitude. Any experts out there who could comment?

How long did it take to go soft Elaine?clover imo doesn’t quickly.
Since 2020 I’ve had quite a few buckets become a soft set some after three weeks some after a few months longer even from a variety of sources.
It would be interesting does anyone have a comprehensive list of what types of sugars can come from different flowers?

 

[Etton]

I have bought some Rowse soft set (£3:340g) to sample, it’s like a paste compared to my own soft set which is firmer… like butter. I plan to experiment and use a little of the Rowse soft set as seed honey and see how it works with my own honey to make soft set. I will be interested to see how it works out!
Anyone else tried this or similar?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have bought some Rowse soft set (£3:340g) to sample, it’s like a paste compared to my own soft set which is firmer… like butter. I plan to experiment and use a little of the Rowse soft set as seed honey and see how it works with my own honey to make soft set. I will be interested to see how it works out!
Anyone else tried this or similar?

Yes. It sets mine quite hard but still smooth

 

[drex]

When I started I used Rowse as seed for my soft set. I now always keep some of my own soft set back each yet for seeding this year's crop. I also use my own design stainless steel paddle in a cordless drill to stir it. Result is smooth and creamy

 

[mdotb]

When I started I used Rowse as seed for my soft set. I now always keep some of my own soft set back each yet for seeding this year's crop. I also use my own design stainless steel paddle in a cordless drill to stir it. Result is smooth and creamy

Does that mean you now have some sort of homeopathic Rowse honey?

 

[elainemary]

How long did it take to go soft Elaine?clover imo doesn’t quickly.
Since 2020 I’ve had quite a few buckets become a soft set some after three weeks some after a few months longer even from a variety of sources.
It would be interesting does anyone have a comprehensive list of what types of sugars can come from different flowers?

like you said Mark, it was slow I’d say a few weeks gradually turned from my normal thick spring honey to b fine crystallised honey - have kept a couple of jars to act as a seed as folk seemed to like it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

like you said Mark, it was slow I’d say a few weeks gradually turned from my normal thick spring honey to b fine crystallised honey - have kept a couple of jars to act as a seed as folk seemed to like it.

Have you taken a pollen sample the photo of the bucket I shared has a lot of dandelion,clover and a small amount of osr .

 

[elainemary]

Have you taken a pollen sample the photo of the bucket I shared has a lot of dandelion,clover and a small amount of osr .

Yes I centrifuged. A lot of pollen grains look similar but I identified sycamore but couldn’t for sure identify clover. Def not oil seed rape as not grown in my area of the Pennines. Will repeat the honey analysis at some stage …esp if happens again this coming season

 

[Curly green finger's]

I can get a better analysis of the honey if it’s clear ( warmed up )
Do you have a good pollen grain chart?

 

[alisonfosterbell]

Yes I centrifuged. A lot of pollen grains look similar but I identified sycamore but couldn’t for sure identify clover. Def not oil seed rape as not grown in my area of the Pennines. Will repeat the honey analysis at some stage …esp if happens again this coming season

Hi there is it possible with a basic light microscope to identify pollen types at home? I'd love to be able to say to my customers more precisely which flowers were foraged.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Hi there is it possible with a basic light microscope to identify pollen types at home? I'd love to be able to say to my customers more precisely which flowers were foraged.

I’m using this

 

[alisonfosterbell]

I’m using thisView attachment 38689

Brilliant thank you! And where could i get an atlas of pollen grain shapes for identification?

 

[drex]

Book by Rex Sawyer from Northern bee books is probably the standard text for beekeepers. However, it is not just a case of bunging a blob of honey on a slide. It can be difficult to distinguish some pollens, one from another. Practical microscopy for beekeepers by Maurer is a good place to start for Basic techniques

 

[elainemary]

Hi there is it possible with a basic light microscope to identify pollen types at home? I'd love to be able to say to my customers more precisely which flowers were foraged.

Yes need x400 magnification for most pollens and a basic centrifuge from Amazon plus Rex Sawyer and Bob Maurers easy to read small books both available from Northern bee books

 

[elainemary]

Book by Rex Sawyer from Northern bee books is probably the standard text for beekeepers. However, it is not just a case of bunging a blob of honey on a slide. It can be difficult to distinguish some pollens, one from another. Practical microscopy for beekeepers by Maurer is a good place to start for Basic techniques

Oops said the same above!

 

[alisonfosterbell]

Oops said the same above!

Thank you for your excellent advice!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Brilliant thank you! And where could i get an atlas of pollen grain shapes for identification?

I have this
https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/products/pollen-grains-honeydew-adams/
Written by one of our ex members Margaret Anne Adams
She posted only a few times, interesting posts nevertheless
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/national-honey-monitoring-scheme.53479/#post-835846

 

[alisonfosterbell]

I have this
https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/products/pollen-grains-honeydew-adams/
Written by one of our ex members Margaret Anne Adams
She posted only a few times, interesting posts nevertheless
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/national-honey-monitoring-scheme.53479/#post-835846

Thank you! It looks very interesting! I'm not too concerned about pollen coefficients and ratios but more as to the plants foraged. I would say 99.9% of my customers want to know the flowers! I note what is in flower each week by observation to give a broad picture. My bees and I live in the countryside on the edge a huge forest (linden, acacia, sweet chestnut, sycamore etc), bordering arable fields (osr, sunflower, phacelie, buckwheat plus flowers sown for pollinators), small villages with gardens, hedgerows, woodland clearings, meadows along our little river.... so the variety is huge!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm not too concerned about pollen coefficients and ratios but more as to the plants foraged.

Then the answer is to start as Margaret suggests. Make your own pollen grain library by sampling all these plants yourself. It's fascinating stuff. I was at a pollen microscopy course at the NHS some years ago...I'm hooked.