Late Flowering Plants For Bees

[Swarm]

We could do with a thread like this to get us through Winter.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Does winter start after the 21 degrees forecast here on Monday?

 

[Amari]

My phacelia is humming with honey bees...... Sounds a bit rude!
This is third crop I have planted this year. Great plant, blue pollen, nice smell. I am a fan, can plough in as green manure. Looks pretty. Flowers quickly, if you plant now then really early spring flowers.
E

I've sown Phacaelia a few times in August, after lifting the spuds, as a green manure but usually doesn't flower until mid-late September. Visits by bumble and honey bees are sparse. Neither the August sowing or seed occasionally sown in September have survived the winter.

 

[enrico]

All I can say is that we planted in Autumn last year, it overwintered, flowered in spring. There were so many bumbles and honey bees it was a writhing mass. A field of it down the road this year gave me 50 lbs of honey. The original crop reseeded itself and is flowering now but we planted another area in spring which gave summer flowers. It seems to need sun to give a nectar flow. Horses for courses I suppose. Maybe my bees have little else when it is flowering or yours have something else. Who knows!
E

 

[beeno]

Yes, thanks for the pics guys. Did not know that Phacelia had blue pollen. Only orange and yellow pollen here now. If this continues maybe the holly will flower for Christmas again! I am sure my late brooders could do with some more pollen by then.