Farmers sowing more spring crops after wet autumn

[AndyTh]

I've noticed many fields near my apiary that are normally ankle-high in cereal crops are only now being cultivated and drilled. Too late for cereal crops, so more acres of spring sown rape, field beans and flax are in prospect. From t'internet searches this phenomenon is widespread this year so is anyone else expecting a bumper summer for honey production?7

 

[Poly Hive]

Spring rape produces very little at best.

PH

 

[Into the lions den]

Spring rape produces very little at best.

PH

But it gets bees into fabulous condition for the heather.....and good hives can tuck away a super or two on top.

Yield is only an issue as the ground is usually drier by that time of year and the flowering period is far shorter. OSR is quite drought sensitive for nectar yield. Get spring OSR flowering after a dump of rain and it yields like crazy for a few days.

Hardly any ever sown up here now. Really serious issue with volunteers for several seasons afterwards and regarded by many as a weed. Shame...it filled a gap.

Beans have yielded once in my memory up here.

 

[Millet]

I've noticed many fields near my apiary that are normally ankle-high in cereal crops are only now being cultivated and drilled. Too late for cereal crops, so more acres of spring sown rape, field beans and flax are in prospect. From t'internet searches this phenomenon is widespread this year so is anyone else expecting a bumper summer for honey production?7

Last week round here loads of fields have been drilled with spring barley with nuisance pigeon bangers scattered all over.

 

[oliver90owner]

Spring rape produces very little at best.-

Sorry, but not something I have found to be true. It is a superb crop with loads of nectar but is usually much shorter lived than the earlier blooming OSR crops - which may or may not yield well due to colonies being too small to take full advantage, weather, etc.

 

[Poly Hive]

My experience of it was in Aberdeenshire and as I say, pretty much useless.
FWIW Murray, Hamish found the same.
PH