OSR flow - when does it begin?

[Finman]

Spring OSR is a minor flow compared to the autumn sown varieties.

PH

we have not much autumn varietes.
The yield depends on weather but too the build up stage of the hive. When I see the hives on spring rape in UK forum, they have only 2 boxes. That has not much capacity to handle the amount what foragers are ready to bring in.

Here rape blooms in the middle on summer. Hot weather over 25C +wind stops the nectar exreceting and no bees visit then in flowers. Rape is very sensitive to lack of water of soil.
Some fields give minor yield if I am not carefull to where I bring the hives.
And the yield after rape blooming is as important. Second crop must be very near.

 

[oliver90owner]

Spring OSR is a minor flow compared to the autumn sown varieties.

I've not found that. Minor crop, yes; but often a good flow while it lasts. I have never really got the best from it as last time I was best part of a week late moving my hives, but still got well over two supers. Just not so much of it about. It looks like any found this year will 'out-flow' the winter rape by a good margin. I am looking!

 

[mbc]

Spring OSR is a minor flow compared to the autumn sown varieties.

PH

I would agree that far less Spring sown osr is planted than Autumn sown/Spring flowering osr, but where you can find it, given the conditions are favourable, a far bigger honey crop can be gathered from the summer flowering variety as all being well, the bees are already up to speed and at maximum foraging strength by the time it comes into flower.
The early hard frosts of Autumn 2009 coupled with early pigeon damage destroyed the majority of the Autumn sown seedlings of osr on a few fields near my bees and the farmer ploughed them back in and re-sowed in the Spring, everything fell into place around the end of June with steamy hot weather just as the fields came into flower and any stocks prevented from swarming filled five or six supers of honey in no time at all ( 150lb on one hive was not out of the ordinary), a bit inconvenient really as the majority of my customers expect my Summer honey to be the usual blend of Summer wild flowers with the delicate and lovely taste of bramble nectar predominating. All was not lost as I got nearly £2.50/lb for it in bulk, I dont think it would attract anything like that price now according to the grumblings from the packers at the moment !

 

[witchcraft]

My hives are surrounded by acres and acres of winter OSR, with a lot of hawthorn hedges and a small field of feed beans nearby too. I'm remain hopeful for the hawthorn and the beans later but at the moment the hives are currently getting lighter as they eat up the blackthorn nectar/honey they packed into the supers at the warm backend of March - though the entire world here is of course bright yellow. So much so I might put some left over fondant back onto them based on the current awful East Anglian weather forecast.