Save the bees? Think again.

[Earthboy]

As fast growing shrubs go Vitex agnus castus is a good one, although it is a mediterranean native and I might have difficulty getting it to grow up here. Trees are generally planted for your children (they take a long time to be useful), at least seven or more years for sweet chestnut for example. I have planted some shrubs and trees at every apiary site I have used, but the most recent are only four years old, (one only a few months) so the trees have yet to really become useful, although some of the early "pollen" trees are beginning to bear fruit, mainly some goat willow and also some alder.

Yes, we Yankees have issues with delayed gratification! Hence, we have invented a "salad shooter," being too impatient to prepare the salad the regular way!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Exactly what I did. Put up a trellis cutting off a third of our lawn. Moved my hives there and sowed wild flower seeds. Get cut once at the end of the summer and may be in early spring. We mow around the edge when cutting the lawn and it looks really beautiful! Remaining lawn now cut every four weeks and on a high cut, not scalped. Planted odd plug plants in it last year of clover etc.

I agree - 2 years ago I started doing "no mow May" and that extended until August! That autumn we scarified the front lawn, seeded the area with wild flower mixture and last year we had 22 species of wildflower (not including grasses) in an area of about 30m2. I only mow around the edge to show its not actually neglected but the insects that used it were amazing.

 

[Somerford]

Yet another person has told me that they want to start beekeeping to "help save the bees". If this is what is motivating you to start beekeeping and visit this forum, please look at this article then do some further reading if you need to check facts. Article

It's a great hobby, but there is a lot to learn in the early years (and ever after!) Unfortunately, too many new beeks lose their enthusiasm when they hit snags or find that they can't tolerate stings. Like any hobby, you should enjoy what you are doing and not just soldier on because you feel obliged or because of what you have spent.

They’d be better joining Compassion in World Farming

 

[Pembroke]

As fast growing shrubs go Vitex agnus castus is a good one, although it is a Mediterranean native and I might have difficulty getting it to grow up here. Trees are generally planted for your children (they take a long time to be useful), at least seven or more years for sweet chestnut for example. I have planted some shrubs and trees at every apiary site I have used, but the most recent are only four years old, (one only a few months) so the trees have yet to really become useful, although some of the early "pollen" trees are beginning to bear fruit, mainly some goat willow and also some alder.

Thompson and Morgan sell a variety of it and claim its a reasonably cold hardy shrub, but whether that's South of England Hardy or Scotland Hardy it doesn't say. Also deer resistant if that matters to you?

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/vitex-agnuscastus-f-latifolia/T66520TM?

 

[Earthboy]

Thompson and Morgan sell a variety of it and claim its a reasonably cold hardy shrub, but whether that's South of England Hardy or Scotland Hardy it doesn't say. Also deer resistant if that matters to you?

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/vitex-agnuscastus-f-latifolia/T66520TM?

Splendid! I do sell Vitex in my region, as well. If interested, please check my Intro which will reveal my FB page. There, indeed, are quite a number of varieties of Vtiex, ranging from wicked purple to white. Mine are serrated type and pollinators love them.