Gardens of Suburbia : Forage month by month

[Eyeman]

Although not strictly suburbs,
The Balsam is still producing a strong flow on the Mersey valley.

 

[Firefly]

View attachment 13637

Although not strictly suburbs,
The Balsam is still producing a strong flow on the Mersey valley.

Yikes - the Hanging Gardens of Birkenhead?

 

[Firefly]

View attachment 13637

Although not strictly suburbs,
The Balsam is still producing a strong flow on the Mersey valley.

Being slightly serious...The damn stuff has just reached here too. From a beekeeping perspective, isn't it just a nuisance and a complication? What's the use of a strong flow NOW?

 

[Erichalfbee]

What's the use of a strong flow NOW?

You don't have to feed the bees?
Bees do better on their own honey?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Being slightly serious...The damn stuff has just reached here too. From a beekeeping perspective, isn't it just a nuisance and a complication? What's the use of a strong flow NOW?

Feeding the bees?

Usually the balsam flow is a lot earlier - starts flowering here in July, it's not 'high quality' nectar so if there's something else around the bees leave the balsam alone, but it's handy if there's nothing else around.

Anyway, I think you got it the wrong way around it's only from the beekeeping perspective it's a welcome visitor - from an ecological viewpoint it's a bit of a disaster.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Being slightly serious...The damn stuff has just reached here too. From a beekeeping perspective, isn't it just a nuisance and a complication? What's the use of a strong flow NOW?

I'd love to have balsam around here wonderful top up from early autumn to late season

 

[Millet]

I'd love to have balsam around here wonderful top up from early autumn to late season

I have a farm that i can put hives on that is full of the stuff all the way along a stream, the other place where i have my bees at present has none of the stuff, i have collected a few hundred seeds but i feel guilty purposely introducing it and i would be sussed out anyway by the keeper and farm house, what is the law with planting this invasive plant, not that i am going too.

 

[GaryB]

Himalayan balsam is listed under Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act
1981 with respect to England and Wales. As such, it is an offence to plant or
otherwise allow this species to grow in the wild.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what is the law with planting this invasive plant, not that i am going too.

Illegal - it's an invasive plant and to allow or cause it's spread can land you with a pretty hefty fine. Believe you me, when it gets going it can take over the place.

 

[Millet]

Illegal - it's an invasive plant and to allow or cause it's spread can land you with a pretty hefty fine. Believe you me, when it gets going it can take over the place.

I have seen such happen on a farm where i can put some hives, several years ago it appeared and when i first came across it i wondered what kept hitting me in the face when digging rats out for the dogs, i later noticed the seed heads exploding and throwing seeds over 6ft away from the mother plant, it now covers a one mile stretch of a small stream and it spreads each year deeper into the wooded areas, the farmer has sprayed it several times over the years but it has made no difference, the way it scatters them seeds makes it nae on impossible to eradicate.

 

[Erichalfbee]

the way it scatters them seeds makes it nae on impossible to eradicate.

Speak to the army of off comers in The Lake District......They are expert.
Not a head of balsam escapes their ire.
The trick is to get it before it flowers as it is an annual and in a few years you will be balsam free....no spray, you have to pull it up

Do they allow internet access in Jail? I would miss your posts.

 

[Fatbee]

Michaelmas daisies were smothered at weekend with honey bees. My mahonia is just starting to flower - they love those.

 

[Millet]

Speak to the army of off comers in The Lake District......They are expert.
Not a head of balsam escapes their ire.
The trick is to get it before it flowers as it is an annual and in a few years you will be balsam free....no spray, you have to pull it up

Do they allow internet access in Jail? I would miss your posts.

, Hopefully i will not be doing anything under her majesties pleasure any time soon, however time will tell.

 

[Erichalfbee]

, Hopefully i will not be doing anything under her majesties pleasure any time soon, however time will tell.

You might if you keep using that oxalic

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the farmer has sprayed it several times over the years but it has made no difference, the way it scatters them seeds makes it nae on impossible to eradicate.

- the only way to control it is to either rip it up or mow it before the flowers set; once a year is not enough either, you have to catch it so that not one flower seeds - then I think it's a job over five or more years as that's how long the 'seed bank' in the soil will last. Spraying is a waste of time for that reason and, unless a weed wiper is used can be counter productive as, although you will kill that particular spring of growth, as you've killed all the other plants/grass there's less competition for the next seedling when they pop their heads up a few days later

 

[Eyeman]

An army of volunteers go around early in the season chopping the balsam down. All that does is cause a delayed re growth that simply extends the flowering season.

 

[maddydog]

I'd love to have balsam around here wonderful top up from early autumn to late season

Never understood why HB isn't in the lovely ERoY already. Lots of field drainage streams and natural springs, also the River Hull has a tidal wash back past Beverley so you would have thought seeds from the Humber would make it there. The occasional seal used to

 

[Millet]

You might if you keep using that oxalic

I use this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Api-Bioxa...497782?hash=item3d26c5bb36:g:81gAAOSw~bFWL6nO

 

[Erichalfbee]

So do I
I'm too old to go to prison
Sitting here at doctors waiting for a flu jab is bad enough

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So do I
I'm too old to go to prison
Sitting here at doctors waiting for a flu jab is bad enough

You'd get a flu jab in prison without the queues, and three meals a day - and free statellite TV in your en suite.