Sunflower pollen

[ShinySideUp]

In 2019 I want to grow sunflowers for the bees and thought I'd go on line and buy some seeds. You'd think it would be easy but every company I visit I find they sell pollen-free sunflower seeds. Pollen-free? I'm sure the allergy-prone might find this aspect of sunflowers to be wonderful, my bees however may not be so enamoured.

Where can I buy sunflower seeds that are not pollen-free? Putting 'non-pollen-free' into a search engine just brings up more pollen-free seeds so I'm a bit stuck. Advice anyone?

 

[Finman]

Where can I buy sunflower seeds that are not pollen-free? ?

Buy big size bird seeds. I think that they are regular.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Bird food, parrot food...or type in natural sunflower seed... or pollinator friendly sunflower seed.

Avoid hybrid sunflowers....the common sunflower is okay...https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/105515/Helianthus-annuus/Details

 

[masterBK]

With global warming I think we will see alot more sunfowers grown as a commercial crop in UK

 

[ShinySideUp]

I have looked further into this to no avail so as has been suggested I think I'll just buy the parrot food and use a scattergun approach with regard to cultivation i.e. stick loads in the ground and hope for the best. I have a wildflower meadow in and around my orchard so something has got to grow from the the seeds.

 

[Finman]

.
There are perennial sunflowers too. One blooms weeks if you cut seed clusters off.
It is an old garden plant.

Put into google "perennial helianthus" pictures

 

[Murox]

I have looked further into this to no avail so as has been suggested I think I'll just buy the parrot food and use a scattergun approach with regard to cultivation i.e. stick loads in the ground and hope for the best. I have a wildflower meadow in and around my orchard so something has got to grow from the the seeds.

have a look https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_671f_helianthus_annuus_soraya I know bee symbol plant lists can be dodgy, but generally it does mean pollen and nectar should be available.

 

[Finman]

With global warming I think we will see alot more sunfowers grown as a commercial crop in UK

Yield per hectare is much more lower compared to rape. After pressing the seeds rape gives high quality protein forage cake.

 

[Goran]

With global warming I think we will see alot more sunfowers grown as a commercial crop in UK

In eastern part of my country it is one of big forages, to offer nectar it needs warmer weather. At my place it gives only pollen, but few hundred kilometers east.. Yields go 20-30kg avg and... abundance of pollen..
Some says that bees die of sunflower pollen and honey over winter ( due neonics), but my mentor has no such case, his bees in spring are like Beethoven symphony..

 

[mintmoth]

In eastern part of my country it is one of big forages, to offer nectar it needs warmer weather. At my place it gives only pollen, but few hundred kilometers east.. Yields go 20-30kg avg and... abundance of pollen..
Some says that bees die of sunflower pollen and honey over winter ( due neonics), but my mentor has no such case,
his bees in spring are like Beethoven symphony..

^^^^^love that!

 

[Anduril]

There are these https://beehappyplants.co.uk/bee-plants/helianthus-annuus/

 

[hemo]

Sounds good Goran, a rousing buzz to 'ODE TO jOY' would sound good..

 

[ShinySideUp]

Bee thoven, I like that.

 

[iann41]

How about Jerusalem Artichoke. Not sure about it's pollen output but there is an abundance of smaller flowers.

You can replant the tubers every year to increase. Only problem I have found with them is that its hard to eradicate them when not wanted anymore.

 

[Curley]

Only problem I have found with them is that its hard to eradicate them when not wanted anymore.

Well that and to paraphrase Culpepper they are an extremely windy meat

 

[iann41]

yeah, they do make you fart a lot. Some thing to do with the fructose in the tubers.

 

[philipm]

We always called them Fartichokes they spread like mad if you leave any of the tubers behind,But the bees love the small daisy like flowers.

 

[masterBK]

The polysaccharide in Jerusalem artichokes that results in flatulence is Inulin (not to be confused with insulin). Inulin belongs to a group of dietary fibres known as Fructans (as it is made up of fructose subunits unlike starch which is made up of glucose units)). The human digestive system is unable to digest Inulin but when it reachs the hindgut various bacteria in the microflora can and they produce "gas" as a biproduct. This gas is a mixture of carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane so don't fart near a naked flame!"

 

[Millet]

The polysaccharide in Jerusalem artichokes that results in flatulence is Inulin (not to be confused with insulin). Inulin belongs to a group of dietary fibres known as Fructans (as it is made up of fructose subunits unlike starch which is made up of glucose units)). The human digestive system is unable to digest Inulin but when it reachs the hindgut various bacteria in the microflora can and they produce "gas" as a biproduct. This gas is a mixture of carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane so don't fart near a naked flame!"