Planting a bee garden

[Luminos]

 

[richardbees]

I'm sorry Midas but why did you feel it neccessary to use the nom de plume of busy_bee? to promote that seeds mix when you were happily posting as midas 2 years ago

life must terribly confusing in your world - and it doesn't reflect well on the post of Hon. Sec. of any local beekeeping associations.....let alone mine!


(edited to add the last comment)

 

[djg]

I'm sorry Midas but why did you feel it neccessary to use the nom de plume of busy_bee? to promote that seeds mix when you were happily posting as midas 2 years ago

life must terribly confusing in your world - and it doesn't reflect well on the post of Hon. Sec. of any local beekeeping associations.....let alone mine!


(edited to add the last comment)

richardbees,

Please bear in mind that we are, after all, in the season of miraculous resurrections.....

 

[Hivemaker.]

Please bear in mind that we are, after all, in the season of miraculous resurrections.....

Or.......................................[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y[/ame]

 

[alldigging]

Leptospermum scoparium says Young plants benefit from winter protection - over first few winters . Does anyone grow this?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I have five in pots,bought as garden centre rescues (all near death and neglected) different varieties all about a metre tall.They bloom for three months and look rather pretty.
Bees like the flowers if its quite warm.
They are supposed to be hardy to -15C but I lost one a few years ago, more from cold wind than frost I suspect, so now I put them round the back of the house next to a wall where they are shaded from the wind and frost. If i didn't have this ideal spot they would be in the greenhouse when it got really cold.
Mine like a gritty ericaceous compost and have really thrived putting on about 30cm of growth last year. There are lots of flower buds just coming.

 

[REDWOOD]

I like this bee garden

 

[dáithí]

I grow 5 plants of Leptospermum scoparium in pots, they are against a south east facing wall. Hardy over the past 3 years here in Dublin

 

[richardbees]

Leptospermum scoparium...aka Manuka

Hadn't thought of trying to grow it but thanks for letting me know it's viable, might give it a try..

...how much is "Manuka Honey" selling for these days?

 

[Swarm]

Same price as a tube of germoline. Same taste too

 

[Erichalfbee]

Leptospermum scoparium...aka Manuka

Hadn't thought of trying to grow it but thanks for letting me know it's viable, might give it a try..

...how much is "Manuka Honey" selling for these days?

If you google Tregothan estate you will see uk manuka go for silly money. Honey is awful though. A big New Zealand con trick on the rest of the world

 

[alldigging]

I put a tray of mizuna outside the greenhouse today as it's been flowering for a few days. lovely and sunny here in Oldham and it took about 1 1/2 minutes before a bee found it

 

[richardbees]

manuka go for silly money

erica, exactly why it might be worth a go......

 

[Madge]

If you google Tregothan estate you will see uk manuka go for silly money. Honey is awful though. A big New Zealand con trick on the rest of the world

I googled Tregothan. I didn't see any manuka honey (only infusions and so on), but there are three pictures illustrating their two honey items - and this is the third picture:
View attachment 8200

 

[Erichalfbee]

I googled Tregothan. I didn't see any manuka honey (only infusions and so on), but there are three pictures illustrating their two honey items - and this is the third picture:
View attachment 8200

You'd think they had a decent sub on their editorial staff!

Re the honey. I'm sure they had some last year.
Perhaps they are concentrating on home grown tea.

 

[Erichalfbee]

manuka go for silly money

erica, exactly why it might be worth a go......

You better get planting then

 

[Erichalfbee]

I planted up trays of Monarda and Borage to put in the meadow later in the year.

 

[dáithí]

today's most popular bee plant in my garden was... Pseudopanax leatus. It's a member of the Araliaceae-the Ivy family so I assume the nectar will granulate rapidly.
Nectar was forming dense droplets on the flowers. The flowers are sticky to touch and about as thick as honey.The plant was covered in bees, similar to a cotoneaster in full bloom

 

[hiveabee]

Last year I sowed a patch of Borage (20 feet x 10 Feet) The bees really hammered it. I have noticed it has started to come through again. I was told when I sowed it that it would re-seed itself.

 

[enrico]

Flowers taste good too and look brilliant in ice cubes! Borage that is!