Suitable Garden?

[Ozzi]

Hi.
I am thinking of becoming a beekeeper. I am guessing Spring will be the time time to start so I feel I should have plenty of time to attend courses, join a club etc to learn the skill.
Before I start getting excited I would just like to check my garden would be ok to accomodate one or two hives.
My wife and kids are a bit concerned that the garden will be over-run by bees and they would not be able to do the things they like to do in the summer months.
My back garden is a average size but on 3 layers with a drop of about 5 foot between the levels.
The top layer is where the decking, lawned area is which is the only part the family use.
The middle ls is just plants and where I would like the hive to be, gets sun for most of the day
The bottom layer is completely fenced off and where I keep the shed and where we sometimes place the dog.
The neighbours to the rear have very long gardens and there are well established trees bordering our property's so I can see a problem there.
I am pretty friendly with the neighbours either side and the bees would be adjecent to the bottom half of their garden.

Does this situation seem ok to keep bees or I am living in a dream world.

Cheers

 

[oliver90owner]

One average I just saw on the net was 90 square metres. So, yes you are living in a dream world.

There needs to be far more information than you are giving, to even guess as to the suitability. Some even say that gardens are not appropriate for hives.

You also have no experience, either. Asking for trouble.

But many do just that, installing bees in 'average' gardens. Just needs a lot more thought.

 

[Ozzi]

I know I have no experience but like I said I was hoping to learn from now till spring. I would not dream of starting a hive with no experience.I just thought making sure I had the right location was the first basic requirement before even thinking of anything else.
My garden is about 40ft x 40 ft

 

[eleanor20]

First of all, beekeeping is seriously addictive. No matter how good your intentions you will not keep to just one hive! I am all for keeping bees at home if you can, makes life much easier, but I don't think it sounds like your garden is big enough. Sorry

 

[SimonJoy]

Don't be put off. I live in the middle of London, average garden, 20 feet wide, 60 feet long. My bees are fine. Go on a course, find someone to help you get started and then decide.

 

[adrian wilford]

loads of beeks in west yorks, get an experienced beek to come and look at your situation, give em a cuppa tea of course, google yorkshire BKA to get a local contact/association

 

[PBee]

Hi.
I am thinking of becoming a beekeeper. I am guessing Spring will be the time time to start so I feel I should have plenty of time to attend courses, join a club etc to learn the skill.
Before I start getting excited I would just like to check my garden would be ok to accomodate one or two hives.
My wife and kids are a bit concerned that the garden will be over-run by bees and they would not be able to do the things they like to do in the summer months.
My back garden is a average size but on 3 layers with a drop of about 5 foot between the levels.
The top layer is where the decking, lawned area is which is the only part the family use.
The middle ls is just plants and where I would like the hive to be, gets sun for most of the day
The bottom layer is completely fenced off and where I keep the shed and where we sometimes place the dog.
The neighbours to the rear have very long gardens and there are well established trees bordering our property's so I can see a problem there.
I am pretty friendly with the neighbours either side and the bees would be adjecent to the bottom half of their garden.

Does this situation seem ok to keep bees or I am living in a dream world.

Cheers

In any urban setting the main requirement is docile bees (e.g. good quality Buckfast) and the skills to keep them that way. Essential for the first year or so would be access to an experienced beekeeper to do this for you so you can learn on the job. So join your local club and tell them your situation. Beekeepers are generally a friendly bunch (despite appearances) and will go out of their way to help.

 

[Tom Bick]

Some will say no and others will say go for it.

The problem is sometimes bees don’t always behave themselves and can get grumpy this can be a result of requeening after a swarm collected a few weeks earlier from your neighbours apple tree. The new queen having mated with some drones from another grumpy hive can start to lay eggs producing grumpy bees and when up to good laying rate 1000+ a day the first of her offspring start to emerge and change the temperament of the hive so when the early signs are noticed (often missed by new beekeepers) the hive will get a whole lot worse before it improves and a hive full with up to 50,000 bees and a good few grumpy bees can be a dangerous thing to be close to. You and your neighbours may without warning get buzzed by the bees and stung.
The flip side the bad grumpy bees can be a hive with gentle bees easy to handle and hard to get one to sting you without trying hard and a pleasure to have in your garden.
Start to research Ozzi I would recommend you join your local beekeeping association and see if they do an winter course and in the spring get some hands on experience in their apiary first then consider getting bees but having local experienced beekeepers at hand is important as you will need them at times.

 

[simonrp]

Welcome to the forum Ozzi.
40x40 does seem a little on the small side, is that the total garden area or just the area where you will keep your bees?
Join the local group and meet a few of the local beeks.
It is worth making the effort to ask around and see if there is a local farmer who will allow you to keep bees on his land.
Get reading and good luck.

 

[REDWOOD]

Even the calmest of bees can have a bad day and usually take it out on the nearest and dearest

 

[tonybloke]

welcome to the forum
I'd put the bees at the highest point of the garden, and screen the hives so the bees fly up and away from your garden

 

[Ozzi]

Thanks for all the advice...I will contact Huddersfield BKA in the morning and see if any is local that could pop round.

Seems that from reading some of the local clubs websites they even try find you a suitable location if having them at home is not an option.

 

[oliver90owner]

they even try find you a suitable location if having them at home is not an option..

A much better option, IMO

 

[domino]

Thanks for all the advice...I will contact Huddersfield BKA in the morning and see if any is local that could pop round.

Seems that from reading some of the local clubs websites they even try find you a suitable location if having them at home is not an option.

I started this year and my garden would be great for bee but I'm using the local association site until I feel confident I can manage them. Also it gets you out of the house

 

[oliver90owner]

until I feel confident I can manage them.

Entirely the best way to progress, IMO

 

[enrico]

Ozzi, don't keep them in the garden........please. It will lead to tears one day, maybe not this year or next, but one day they will have a bad hair day and it just isn't worth it. I am lucky enough to have 3.5 acres of hillside as a garden, they can still give me problems!
Not often, but ........
E

 

[Swarm]

As above.
Prevention is better than cure.

 

[Poly Hive]

I am completely anti bees in gardens. As in small suburban type patches, acres of garden is another matter entirely.

When it goes wrong, and it will.... the consequences can be extremely serious. If it's your family then it's not so bad but when neighbours get hammered it gets very difficult indeed.

I would urge you to think very seriously indeed about it.

PH

 

[Ozzi]

I have contacted the Huddersfield BKA and they seem fantastic, gave me lots of advice over the phone and put my name down for a possible course in Feb.
They dd not completely rule out using the garden but maybe only for a very experienced keeper.

 

[REDWOOD]

I had a call earlier this year from an elderly couple who wanted bees in their garden but wanted me to look after then, I visited them for an apiary meeting and like your garden it was on multi layers and nowhere suitable that was not going to be disturbed by them self's or the gardener but at the end of the garden there is a field that they have been managing which will be ideal, so a few hives there next year which is close to some horse chestnut trees lots of HB, flowering shrubs, gorse, bell heather, cant wait