Heather

[Millet]

Hmm the three mile is oft quoted and I have seen reports of bees flying 7+ miles for water in the States but...

If the scouts return and to simplify say two of return. One dances saying 20% at half a mile adn the other says 12% at a mile who gets the business?

Bees will as far as I know only fly as far as it is efficient to do so and the only stupid question is the unasked one.

PH

Wise words from what seems to be a wise Beekeeper, thank you.

 

[BrianO]

Wise words from what seems to be a wise Beekeeper, thank you.

Absolutely, that is what the forum is for. Asking questions , answering questions , interacting.

Often hear that " no point planting for bees , would make no difference... would need to plant acres .. "

Tell that to them when they smother your patch of Phacelia or heather or sedum etc etc. It all helps. Of course not going to make a season but all adds up.

Also what really helps is early and late forage, your willows, snowdrops heathers, hellebores, sedums, etc .

 

[enrico]

I am inclined to agree, bees go for mass flowers hence their love for crops and trees, but all those little extras that we give them from our gardens help to flavour and colour our honey making every years honey different. Who wants the same old rape honey all the time, I love getting four or five different 'types' of honey during the year and that is mainly thanks to the extras that are flowering. Keep on sowing the seeds I say, it can't do any harm but it may do some good! And don't forget the butterflies, they need the flowers too!
E

 

[Millet]

I am inclined to agree, bees go for mass flowers hence their love for crops and trees, but all those little extras that we give them from our gardens help to flavour and colour our honey making every years honey different. Who wants the same old rape honey all the time, I love getting four or five different 'types' of honey during the year and that is mainly thanks to the extras that are flowering. Keep on sowing the seeds I say, it can't do any harm but it may do some good! And don't forget the butterflies, they need the flowers too!
E

The butterflies are catered for and also the moths, , i took this a couple of years back of a moth feeding on what i think is snow in summer, the cabbage whites are also well fed well the caterpillars are when they are destroying the cabbages and sprouts,

 

[bjosephd]

Plant margins for marginal gains

Absolutely, that is what the forum is for. Asking questions , answering questions , interacting.

Often hear that " no point planting for bees , would make no difference... would need to plant acres .. "

I totally agree... the "would need to plant acres" catchphrase doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

If each person plants out their front garden that adds up to acres.

With our new found love for paving over our front gardens in order to park our cars off the road, London I understand has paved over approximately 350,000 acres just one little front garden at a time.

So to say "a small amount of plants in 1 garden does diddly squat" is somewhat missing the concept of accumulation by marginal gains.

So Millet... I applaud your planting efforts... go for it!

(although in answer to the question that started the thread though, about the bee value of garden centre/ornamental heather... I'm afraid I don't know!)

BJD

 

[Poly Hive]

Mony a mickle maks a muckle so if every one planted something for the bees it all adds up.

PH