Planting trees

[Newbeebeekeeper]

Hi

Does anyone plant out trees specifically to benefit their bees?

I have recently been given 5 Italian alder trees for helping out a friend as they are on my list of plants good for bees.

I was shown willow trees that i could take cuttings from to plant.

Next stop is cherry trees in the next week

 

[fatshark]

I'm in the process of clearing a site of invasive rhododendron to plant a mixture of alder, hazel and willow, together with a bit of hawthorn and native cherry. It'll be autumn before I start planting, using container-grown trees from Christie-Elite or Alba Trees.

The intention is to improve local forage for bees in general and benefit local wildlife.

 

[Newbeebeekeeper]

My friend is friendly with the local garden centre and gets a good price and we are both all about improving the local area for wildlife. If i happen to get some honey out of it then all the better. The bird cherry and wild cherry both look amazing for bees although i wouldn't plant the bird cherry near me as it smells bad

 

[Murox]

I'm in the process of clearing a site of invasive rhododendron to plant a mixture of alder, hazel and willow, together with a bit of hawthorn and native cherry. It'll be autumn before I start planting, using container-grown trees from Christie-Elite or Alba Trees.

The intention is to improve local forage for bees in general and benefit local wildlife.

I would add Rowan /Mountain Ash to that that native mix - be sure to specify the *** of the willows.

 

[fatshark]

We've got a bit of rowan already but, you're right, it should have been on the list. I also should have stressed wild cherry for precisely the reason Newbeebeekeeper mentions.

 

[madasafish]

I have 3 Korean Bee trees# . LOTS of pollen autumn..

# grown from seed.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Hi

Does anyone plant out trees specifically to benefit their bees?

I have recently been given 5 Italian alder trees for helping out a friend as they are on my list of plants good for bees.

I was shown willow trees that i could take cuttings from to plant.

Next stop is cherry trees in the next week

I'm in the process of planting a arboretum. trees I'm using are holly, willow , sycamore, hawthorne, lime, and some fruit trees cherry, crab apple and damson .
As the trees are in lines and space is being left in between the trees I will be planting in these beds i haven't decided what yet .
If you can get bare root trees they will be cheaper .
Also if you plant more than one of each variety this will aid pollination.

 

[MartinL]

Planted a mixed hedge around my allotment. Hawthorn, Blackthorne, Lime, Rose, Damson, Plum, Bird Cherry, Crab apple & Wild Pears. Rasberry & currants couple of oaks too

Sheep ate most of it, thorns & all!
Now they still eat what they can reach, so kind of self pruning too.

Have been adding to it over the past 5-6 years, Aldi fruit tree specials + some success with cuttings too.
Some Cider-apple & Pears planted in an orchard area at the hives end.

Can't help myself when the bare roots go on offer at the end of Feb.

 

[Goran]

Pears.. I would only advise Pyrus pyraster, since domestic pears have some amid components in flowers which deter the honeybee.
Wild cherries, Prunus avium. I saw on my own eyes numerous times, domestic cherries none of honeybees and near wild cherries covered with bees..
I planted Coelreuteria paniculata, I observed the fallen flowers on the ground still attended with the bees... Amazing to watch.
I planted also Tetradium daniellii, also bees adore it, and as addition birds adore its seeds.
I have also planted Gleditsia triacanthos, so far young trees but flowers in some dearth of forage so it is nice to have it then, ask the bees about it.. But its thorns are so long..
Of some other forest trees which give us also significant spring honey is black ash. I remember one season was horror spring and bees ate whole spring honey ( wild willow, wild pears, wild cherries), and after that black ash came to the rescue and we still manage to extract 7kg of surplus of spring honey ( I think it was some 5 days of time of decent flow)..
I also planted Rhus typhina, which is every year attended by the bees.

Also I always repeat what we learned, one 30 years old lime tree is worth as same as 1ha of meadow flowers..

 

[Millet]

I have 3 Korean Bee trees# . LOTS of pollen autumn..

# grown from seed.

Trying to grow them at the moment.. i ordered 50 seeds 12 of which i have in a incubator in compost at 19C..they have been in there for just over seven days and nothing is happening yet.. how did you get them to germinate and grow..

 

[madasafish]

Trying to grow them at the moment.. i ordered 50 seeds 12 of which i have in a incubator in compost at 19C..they have been in there for just over seven days and nothing is happening yet.. how did you get them to germinate and grow..

It was seven years ago..I followed this:
"
Bee Bee Tree seeds don't have any natural dormancy and can be sown without any pre-treatment

Germination will be speeded up by soaking the seeds in cold water for 12 hours before sowing.

Sow the seeds in plug trays or seed trays filled with a good quality compost and cover with a light sprinkle of compost. Then firm gently before watering. Seeds should begin to show signs of germination after a week to 10 days. Move seedlings into larger containers as soon as they are large enough to handle.

​Seedlings will grow fastest when kept weed free and well watered."

https://www.treeseedonline.com/stor...dia_hupehensis_also_tetradium_daniellii).html

 

[Millet]

Thank you for that.. i did not soak mine as such.. i placed them in a take away carton on wet kitchen towel in the airing cupboard for two days and then transferred them to compost.. if this does not work i have another thirty seeds to play with and try a different method..

 

[Newbeeneil]

I built a shed late last year in the corner of a field where my new apiary is. I surrounded it with cuttings of 5 different types of willow to act as a screen to hide it from the land owners view and great early spring forage. The small lengths of wood seem to be taking root!

 

[Murox]

I'm in the process of clearing a site of invasive rhododendron to plant a mixture of alder, hazel and willow, together with a bit of hawthorn and native cherry. It'll be autumn before I start planting, using container-grown trees from Christie-Elite or Alba Trees.

The intention is to improve local forage for bees in general and benefit local wildlife.

You may also wish to consider some re-seeding once the rhododendron has been cleared/burnt, and whilst the trees establish. https://wildseed.co.uk/mixtures/view/51

 

[Millet]

I built a shed late last year in the corner of a field where my new apiary is. I surrounded it with cuttings of 5 different types of willow to act as a screen to hide it from the land owners view and great early spring forage. The small lengths of wood seem to be taking root!

Willow is really easy to grow..i did it by mistake one year..i cut a load of straight willow branches to make little wigwams in the raised beds for the peas to climb up..when the peas had finished the willow sticks had to be pulled out as they where well away..

 

[Curly green fingers]

Willow is really easy to grow..i did it by mistake one year..i cut a load of straight willow branches to make little wigwams in the raised beds for the peas to climb up..when the peas had finished the willow sticks had to be pulled out as they where well away..

This has happened to me also using willow as pea canes , it's really easy to grow/ take cuttings from
Taking hardwood cuttings this time of year from shrubs and trees is ideal , evergreens are a bit harder to root and generally take longer .
I either use a 3 ltr pot with 25% horticultural grit and 75% peat free compost mix.

When taking cuttings I cut a 8inch stem strip all the buds of except the very last 4 and push the cuttings into the pot leaving the 4 buds showing I put 6 to a 3ltr pot round the out side of the pot and then a layer of grit to cover the soil, water and put in a cold frame . You could use rooting powder but for most shrubs/trees there's no need .

Or if you have raised beds that are fallow I'll pull a trench out with the spade fill with grit mixed with soil and put cuttings in rows , again a layer of grit covering the soil and then cover with a clotch after watering .

Some shrubs/trees will start to calus up by early spring. Others you will have to leave untill the autumn when you can move pot up etc..
Easier said than done!....
I forgot to say keep the cuttings watered ,
Finger test push finger into soil if no soil sticks to the end of your finger and it feels dry water!

 

[mintmoth]

It was seven years ago..I followed this:
"
Bee Bee Tree seeds don't have any natural dormancy and can be sown without any pre-treatment

Germination will be speeded up by soaking the seeds in cold water for 12 hours before sowing.

​Seedlings will grow fastest when kept weed free and well watered."

I thought Bee Bee trees were dioecious - separate male and female trees. How long do you have to grow them before you know whether you have males or females?

 

[madasafish]

I thought Bee Bee trees were dioecious - separate male and female trees. How long do you have to grow them before you know whether you have males or females?

All my three produced flowers this year

 

[fatshark]

You may also wish to consider some re-seeding once the rhododendron has been cleared/burnt, and whilst the trees establish. https://wildseed.co.uk/mixtures/view/51

I'd like to but there are too many d@mn red deer. I'm in the process of trial seeding a couple of cleared areas which are hard to reach and if that's successful will seed more extensively.

I may have to invest in lots of fencing ... or a crossbow

 

[mintmoth]

All my three produced flowers this year

Girls then