Rose method with poly hives?

[Fireash123]

Hi newbie here so please forgive my ignorance. Though I have been interested in keeping bees it was always on a back burner. Now I have moved into the country and have a large garden I feel it's time for me to do my research.

One question is in waiting for some books I have got read and watching on you tube about poly hives and there benefits also reading up on the rose method.
Both sound like ways I want to go.

My question is could I use the rose method with poly hives from paynes?
If I could handle taking down brood boxes? Or what's wrong with using all supers say? Why is free rain if the queen so important? Can't you sti extended the hive and keep say the too super with a queen excluder on yet still extend the brood if needed?

 

[oliver90owner]

Nothing at all wrong in using any size box you choose. They are simply boxes, not broods and supers, just boxes. The brood nest will tend towards thd bottom box and the honey crop hopefully in the top box(es).

So whether you use shallows or deeps would be your choice. The 'rose hive' just happened to arbitrarily use a box size intermediate of deep and shallow. Probably valid reasons for so doing, like two rose boxes are about the same size as a brood and a half (or close to a 14 x 12), so the average brood nest will occupy about two boxes, or he may have simply considered the weight factor; don't know and I'm not going to worry about it.

I use 14 x 12s and rarely insert a queen excluder, so that part is not unique to the rose system.

You might even be able to shorten a Pains deep poly box so the rose sized frames would fit! Where there is a will, there is usually a way. There are other suppliers of poly boxes as well - some may be more 'adjustable' than others.

Another facet is honey extraction. You might prefer radial extraction to tangential.

You certainly have lots to think about.

RAB

 

[ratcatcher]

Im using commercial supers at the moment in the rose method, although I have now got a few rose OSB and frames so will be gradually removing the commercials and replacing with the osb,
as for extraction, I use only wax starter strips in the frames, so all pinch honey will be cut comb,

as these bees are in my woodland, it seems an easier option, I don't even need to remove whole supers, frames can be taken away to the bee caravan, comb removed and packaged, and frame back in the super within minutes for the bees to start cleaning up

 

[Fireash123]

Thank you Oliver, that was on the lines of my thinking. Really do like the poly boxes. And like there national sizes so can swap and buy other equipment. Got me looking up tangential and radial extraction now.
Both use centrifugal force right?

Hi ratcatcher. Why can't you do that with national frames? Are they totally different to rose frames in how they attach? Probable showing my ignorance now lol.
Need to find someone local really to watch them do it I suppose.

 

[DulwichGnome]

I know of a beekeeper who uses the Rose method and Langstroth medium boxes and frames (take care when buying as not all Langstroth kit is equal). I use the old type of Swienty boxes cut down to size, the new design may be a bit more difficult.

If you want to try it out, use all National super boxes and see how you get on.

For me the main advantage is using the same size for all.

Good luck,

Mike.

 

[BeeJayBee]

My question is could I use the rose method with poly hives from paynes?

The Rose Method is mainly about using one size boxes rather than separate deeps and shallows. It's workable and means all your gear is interchangeable, which has its' bonuses.

Paynes also do Langstroth poly, and I know a few beekeepers who use that brood box (known as Langstroth Medium) throughout, rather than using shallow supers as well. I'm fairly sure "Into The Lions Den" does too, he is currently President of BFA, there are pictures in his album http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?u=4812

If you do go for poly boxes, of whatever style or design, I think both you and your bees will like them.

 

[oliver90owner]

whatever style or design, I think both you and your bees will like them.

But not all are universally accepted as being 'liked'.

Both polyhive and itld were fairly vociferous on that point.

 

[ratcatcher]

Hi ratcatcher. Why can't you do that with national frames? Are they totally different to rose frames in how they attach? Probable showing my ignorance now lol.
Need to find someone local really to watch them do it I suppose.

you could, but a year ago, I bought a job lot of commercial complete hives, hence using those supers, national supers would work just as well, but 14x9 full of honey in a bb might be a bit heavy to lift

 

[Ely]

I started with commercials. The only boxes I buy now are poly national deeps with an aim to eventually sell the commercials and use solely national deeps. Not necessarily rose method though. There is more to the rose method than the type of box and frame being used. I.E the double brood and queen excluder method can still be done. I have done away with excluders apart from the odd use but the option is still there if you have doubts. The compatibility is great because my deep Poly's are serving as supers/brood space on my commercials at present until I have enough to change over.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I use Langstroth Mediums like this which works vey well and kit wise is far simpler than any of the other systems I have tried. Just stick to wooden frames!