November Flowering OSR

[Somerford]

I passed 4 fields of OSR in full flower near Tetbury at the weekend....I can only presume the crop was planted early and the mild weather has brought it on far too early !

No bees were on it, even though it was a mild 15 degrees....suspect it will all be ploughed in and reseeded with spring OSR next year.

Has anyone else seen similar ?

regards

S

 

[oliver90owner]

spring OSR next year.

That could be good for some. Another round of OSR after the winter sown. There is usually a (field bean) gap between the two in order to get the first lot off the hives.

RAB

I have seen a small strip in one early sown field in bloom. Not sure about the main part of the field, but if it gets on too well before the winter it could get seriously damaged by snow and very severe frosts.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Has anyone else seen similar ?

Seen several fields of mustard one place and another,looks much the same as OSR.

 

[mignon]

Funny you should say that, I saw quite a large field of it near Cholmondeley in Cheshire last Wednesday. But I didn't think to stop and check for bees

 

[adrian wilford]

do check i believe its mustard used for ploughing in and cover for pheasants

 

[adrian wilford]

my bees were bring loads of pollen from it, not sure about nectar though

 

[mignon]

yes I usually have a few acres by me for game cover, it was sown but because of the dry summer we had here it's only just coming through now. But there is a small crop of very stunted sunflowers, the bees have worked them, but it's a rather poor showing.

 

[Chris Luck]

But there is a small crop of very stunted sunflowers, the bees have worked them, but it's a rather poor showing.

Pollen is one thing but do you know the temperatures required by different plants to get a nectar flow? Sunflower is over 25°C I think and I seem to remember that OSR and Mustard are over 15°C.

Chris

 

[mignon]

Hi Chris
No I didn't and to be fair hadn't given it a lot of thought, but it does make sense. Can you point me in the direction of where this kind of information can be found or is a google search job? I know it's not vital information for the welfare of our bees as we cannot influence environmental temperature but fascinating none the less.

Sarah

 

[Chris Luck]

I think it's a Google search unless someone else has some info Sarah.

BTW, is your user name from the French as in "Cute"?????

Chris

 

[drstitson]

can't we raise the tone a bit? this isn't a dating site you know. i thought the poster was cultured and was referring to the french comic opera. or at the very least using it in the "dainty" sense.

 

[mignon]

Oh come on boys you make me blush, it is in fact my dog's name referring to the French cute/sweetie, not as some bright spark thought a cut of meat. And they do say owners start to resemble their dog, so maybe cute, dainty and I have been know to belt out a bit of opera and it is comic, so all the boxes ticked I think

 

[susbees]

Oh come on boys you make me blush, it is in fact my dog's name referring to the French cute/sweetie, not as some bright spark thought a cut of meat. And they do say owners start to resemble their dog, so maybe cute, dainty and I have been know to belt out a bit of opera and it is comic, so all the boxes ticked I think

....that should narrow it down at the local BKAs' meets....

 

[rog]

re OSR I believe some of it is what in the trade is known as "volunteer" OSR. It is the seed spilled during harvest sprouted and because of the mild weather managed to flower. This is particularly common in fields re sown with OSR. It is normally pretty patchy and short.
The small areas around field edges will probably be cover crops for game birds to hide in and try to hold them where the keepers want them.
Complete fields are as has been said already "green manure" or forage crops sown for sheep to feed in winter. Again the mild weather has put them ahead of where they should be.

 

[MuswellMetro]

well two big field of it just off the A1/M25 junction

its a sown field all in straight lines, glowing yellow now as 10% of plants flowering....and we dont grow mustard around here ,so it is winter sown OSR

i expect it to get zapped in the next few weeks by the frost, I assume it will recover, but will the yeild may be down

Does that mean OSR will come in early, hope not i am on holiday in the first weeks of March

 

[rog]

If it is winter sown osr flowering now I suspect it will be a write off. The plant will be exhausted trying to flower and trying to seed so soon with no growth period. There wont be time for it to seed and ripen. I wouldnt be surprised if it gets ploughed up over winter and resown in the spring. Expensive process.
I am not an arable expert but will ask the farmer I work for at the weekend.

 

[hallshoney]

Could be charlock, it often comes up through newly sown grass seeds

 

[Chris Luck]

Happens here every year, no problems and flowers properly in March/April. Sowing here takes place from the end of July and through August.

Chris

 

[hallshoney]

OSR plants should only be a few inches high now any taller they will die in mid winter

 

[Chris Luck]

OSR plants should only be a few inches high now any taller they will die in mid winter

Have to disagree, I'll take a photo tomorrow, here they are a good 30 to 45cm, same as every year and we have colder weather than you in winter.

Chris