LimeWatch UK

[madasafish]

My hives were fanning last night: a different scent.
Looked at limes in Biddulph Grange Gardens this am: in flower- just!

And the ground is damp..

Hopes for a good crop.. needed...I've run out of spring honey.

 

[GuyNir]

First lime flowers open in SW Scotland. Huge trees, 100-150yr old.

 

[ericbeaumont]

London lime starting

Interesting to see that lime was not yet in flower when Richard started this thread on 30 July 2013, yet today in North London a few were open, a whole month earlier.

 

[enrico]

Ours are showing white but it is SO DRY. No better this year!
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ours are showing white but it is SO DRY. No better this year!
E

How does it being dry affect nectar flow in Limes. Are they not trees with deep roots? Just asking as I haven't a clue

 

[enrico]

Needs humidity for limes to produce nectar. (I have been told earlier in this thread!) It is certainly not humid at the moment!

 

[Repwoc]

It looks like humidity will increase mid next week.

 

[Beekeeper Brownie]

I was speaking to a local farmer earlier who monitors the weather closely and he said that he recorded only 23% humidity, which is the driest he’s ever recorded. So if it is the case they need humidity then fingers crossed we get some good rain ASAP

 

[Bear]

2018 was a great year and the heather was in full bloom. Lack of rain meant no nectar so no heather honey. Well not no heather honey but it was scarce.

 

[Ian123]

Back in 2018 the 1 cool week we had coincided with the main flush of lime flowers but we still had no rain, they yielded some but that week killed it. On the contrary though the sweet chestnut was great and we had still not had any rain. The brambles are looking great around me and plenty of new growth, it only takes a splash of rain to keep these hardy plants going. Even if we don’t get any in the next couple of weeks I suspect they will do well. Ian

 

[beeno]

Any more reports on lime?

 

[Ian123]

Any more reports on lime?

Yes it’s out around me and the best of it should be now with the improving weather.

 

[StephenT]

Warm and humid forecast here in London with plenty of lime trees in flower just a few hundred metres away. Just a shame I don’t have many drawn super frames to make the most of it.

 

[beeno]

Thanks guys I will go for a stroll this eve.

 

[monarda]

Just starting to flower here on Kent/Surrey/Sussex border Beeno.

 

[thorn]

It's not yet out in the park by me. I'm hoping that the weather will clear up in time for the bees to benefit from both it and the brambles.

 

[enrico]

Just coming into full flower here. Can see some insects at the top. Bees? Two hopes and one of them is Bob!
E

 

[ericbeaumont]

In full flower in North London for a week, but it's only today that bees have been on it - until then too wet, too cool, too windy.

In the last 24 hours all that changed, humidity soared and bees are at work. Privet is flowering well and they're on that too.

Noticed that flowering of Tilia europaea - the ordinary lime that shoots profusely from the base - has staggered flowering, so if the muggy weather holds the flow should last.

This book is the one to get: https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/...8JuSg5Mhapz4p-wOvJWtD1L2Re-AnU0hoC6IUQAvD_BwE. Frank Howes wrote six pages on limes and included a chart with flowering times.

 

[Popparand]

Its probably quite handy being beside a railway line wont it for blackberry? I never realised Blackberry was so good for forage.

If it's near a railway probably the wrong sort of blackberry (same as leaves/snow etc on line!)

 

[beeno]

It would appear that lime is just starting to flower. Any signs of this year's lime actually yielding though?