Himalayan balsam

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Onge

Field Bee
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
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Location
Cambridge
Hive Type
Langstroth
Number of Hives
9 Medium Poly, mostly foundation-less. Some run as Warre TBH
Hi all

Just looked around the interweb and it says it flower between june-september.

Havent seen any in flower yet, has anyone else?

Would rather wait until this has flowerd before main extraction but I'm not waiting till september.

Any opinions?

Thanks.
 
The Balsam is in full flower here, 14 miles east of Manchester nestling under the pennines. The stream, river, and canal banks and full of it.

Ian
 
In full flower up here in Edinburgh too, so I'd be surprised if its not out in the London area yet...
 
no, himlayen balsam around me , so far as i can see...what colour is the pollen?

Bees visiting balsam often come back with a distinct grey blob of pollen on their dorsal(top part) thorax.
 
Balsam has been in flower here a full month !
It suffered somewhat during the hot dry weather but the rain over the last week or so has given it a boost . Prior to the rain only the stuff growing in the shade or had it's feet in water escaped flagging :) .

John Wilkinson
 
it may be, but none near me, all we have on rivers here is Gunnera giant hog weed, no balsam..so far as i know
It's illegal to sow balsam seeds ! Golf ball sized lumps of damp clay that has somehow become contaminated with balsam seed can be hurled fair distances :leaving:

John Wilkinson
 
By the look of it you lot up north have it and the Southerners dont.
 
It must grow in cold, wet damp and dark conditions rather than the sunny pleasantly warm and dry conditions we exeperiance in the South :biggrinjester:
The Fylde coast is a large market gardening area !
due to it's mild climate ,quality soil and of course Sunshine :drool5:

John Wilkinson
 
It must grow in cold, wet damp and dark conditions rather than the sunny pleasantly warm and dry conditions we exeperiance in the South :biggrinjester:

Yea that's what I was thinking :biggrinjester:
 
it may be, but none near me, all we have on rivers here is Gunnera giant hog weed, no balsam..so far as i know

well just come in from a three mile walk (with dog) along the brook ,near my three hives, and yes found some, two small clumps about 4ft square, in pools that are used by herons...so obviously bought in by them,,,,no other clumps found

i wonder how fast it will spread?. it just at first flower, and rest in bud now
 
Should be incoming soon then. :)
 
My bees have been bringing in off-white coloured pollen - is this himalayan balsam? (it has been raining here forever it seems)

Is the balsam honey good?
 
The first blooms were out today on a patch close to a small stream I cross when dog walking (down here in sunny Sussex) - thankfully, it doesn't appear to be quite as prolific as it was in the same spot last year - it's an absolute thug, and crowds out the "natives" - suddenly appeared 2 years ago.......
 
Most likely find out it was introduced/spread by bayer/monsanto....and they are the only one's with the antidote,spray to kill it,and they are just waiting until it has complete control then they can make a fortune when people are begging to see the back of it.:biggrinjester:
 
well just come in from a three mile walk (with dog) along the brook ,near my three hives, and yes found some, two small clumps about 4ft square, in pools that are used by herons...so obviously bought in by them,,,,no other clumps found

i wonder how fast it will spread?. it just at first flower, and rest in bud now
Seems to do nowt for a couple of years then suddenly it's everywhere :party:

When the pods are ripe ,go along with a plastic bag, put it over each pod and touch the pod with the inner surface of the bag . It will explode with a pop! if properly ripe . Do this with as many as you like and you'll soon have a bag full of seed .
No need to dry it fridge or anything else it .
Should it accidentally get scattered around it will spring into life next year !
It will spread naturally as the popping is it's strategy for maximising the distance from plant to seedling !

John
 

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