Fields of OSR coming in to flower

[Plenty of honey]

The fact that there are bangers there would suggest it is although the first photo doesn't look like the correct plant spacing - shouldn't be rows between plants, should be a dense mass. 99% sure it is though by the second photo and quantity grown (4 fields)

I thought exactly the same re spacing, but it does look like a brassica leaf, perhaps its a fodder for cattle? Strange. Usually OSR is evenly spaced

 

[Fatbee]

Looking at the pics from 2 weeks ago . How long would you then say it may be from flowering ? .

Depends on variety looks like pigeons have held it in check. Based on that growth at this stage in my area I would say mid to end April, possibly later depending on weather in next month

 

[Pete D]

Pounds per colony please?

PH

2014 40-50lb, first harvest 11th April

2015 0-10lb, too cold and damp to yield, first harvest June 20th !

 

[Fatbee]

Pete D the difference in weather between North Norfolk and North Bucks last year! This beekeeping lark is so localised.

 

[Pete D]

Pete D the difference in weather between North Norfolk and North Bucks last year! This beekeeping lark is so localised.

Yes indeed, in fact North Norfolk had less, (I am in West Norfolk), mid Norfolk had more and East Norfolk was very poor according to reviews.
Year on year I was almost the same due to a summer harvest that went on and on. 2014 is my best year to date overall.
Last year my home apiary was surrounded by rape and although the colonies built up well it just wasn't warm enough for it to flow, most didn't swarm either as although they were big they mostly ate what they collected early season and by July didn't bother.

All the best for this season.

 

[dn170221]

Don't count your honey jars just yet dn1. A couple of weeks ago I saw the glint of what looked like a field of rape coming into flower, it was away from the road so I could only see the haze of yellow flowers. On Friday there were sheep in the field, so it will have been a fodder crop.

I have asked around and it is in in fact OSR.
Colonies seem to be bringing in plenty of pollen both yellow and white. I will leave them to it!

 

[Millet]

Is this OSR ? There are 4 large fields over the road from me that the farm worker sets the bangers off in every day . Here are a couple of pics i took 2 weeks ago . I think it is but am unsure .

Oil seed rape is not planted in rows like that, they look more like some kind of turnip to me.

 

[Zante]

Sugar beet maybe?

 

[BeeJayBee]

I have asked around and it is in in fact OSR.
Colonies seem to be bringing in plenty of pollen both yellow and white. I will leave them to it!

Lucky you

With OSR they tend to have a yellow dot of pollen on their head.

 

[deanrpwaacs]

I have just received confirmation from the farmer that it is OSR . Are there any tips that i should not overlook . Anything that may cause a problem .

 

[snelgrove]

I have just received confirmation from the farmer that it is OSR . Are there any tips that i should not overlook . Anything that may cause a problem .

the major concern with rape is how quickly the honey granulates, supers must be extracted as soon. as the honey is ripe, with still cold nights in may the bees sometimes recede into the brood nest and cold honey rapidly granulates. Also check with farmer if the rape is to be sprayed with any insecticides in flower.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Get ready to extract the honey as soon as the OSR flowers start to fade, otherwise it might set in the frames.

 

[Greggorio]

in Normandie we have maybe 1% of plants flowering on some fields. The rest are nowhere near flowering. Very odd but I think it's the weird winter we've had