What's flowering as forage in your area

[Antipodes]

We've had an exceptionally mild winter which seems to have moved most things forward a bit, but just from observation the flowering time for OSR appears to have moved forward a couple of weeks since we moved here eighteen years ago.

Could be mustard though, I guess. From a road through a hedge it's tricky to tell

James

How much above the long term average are you?

 

[Antipodes]

I couldn't wait and I found this myself ....but we'll have to wait for the March summary, but guessing from what you guys are saying, temps will be up as well.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/summaries/index

 

[Antipodes]

On trend, we were warmer here over summer, but it was a strange season for sure. Intense dearth at the moment.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/season/tas/summary.shtml

 

[elainemary]

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control........................the first ones this year


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You got me singing along to the Pointer sisters. Yeh, yeh.
Saw some dandelions opening up in the valley, can’t wait for more!

 

[W0otz]

Dandelions were out in force in the nearby cemetery, until the council came along with the lawnmowers yesterday
The short ones have survived, but it was still disappointing. On the other hand there are several large laurels in the cemetery too and they've opened up over the past couple of days.

 

[JamezF]

Dandelions were out in force in the nearby cemetery, until the council came along with the lawnmowers yesterday

They'll be back soon enough

James

 

[JamezF]

How much above the long term average are you?

Honestly no idea.

James

 

[rolande]

 

[Murox]

Walking by the loch this morning - saw my first primroses of the season and was entranced by the volume of bumble bees going for a willow in full pollen mode.

 

[W0otz]

One of the laurels around here - well in flower but not a bee to be seen!

 

[Moobee]

All over two big rosemary’s yesterday.

 

[The Poot]

My viburnum is very popular at the moment.
Bees otherwise on wild plum, laurel and willow

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Some dandelions around but not in full flower yet, my damsons blossomed today and I notice the hawthorn was greening up nicely so it won't be long before the may makes an appearance.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My damsons are out too. The pear blossom is plumping up. All in time for -2 degrees forecast this week

 

[JamezF]

My damson and plum trees are showing a few flowers, but nothing to get excited about.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My damsons are out too. The pear bluefin is plumping up. All in time for -2 degrees forecast this week

it happened at exactly the same point last year, but to be honest, 2021 was the best Damson crop I've ever had
Funnily enough, as I set off for the WBKA convention yesterday morning the car windscreen started icing over, if I'd have left5 the house ten minutes layer as was my intention I would have had to have de-iced properly before setting off.

 

[The Poot]

I thought I’d pulled up the Himalayan Balsom last year before it seeded, but clearly not....
I should have a good crop this year looking at the seedlings sprouting up.
The picture is of only a small area - the seedlings are everywhere along the river bank.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I thought I’d pulled up the Himalayan Balsom last year before it seeded

Be prepared for another few years of pulling up - it has quite a long seedbank so even if you had stopped any at all last year you have another five years stored in the soil.

 

[The Poot]

Oh heck! The river flooded in November and I thought had washed seeded silt onto the garden, but perhaps not. If I leave them, the bees will be happy, but I won’t!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oh heck! The river flooded in November and I thought had washed seeded silt onto the garden, but perhaps not. If I leave them, the bees will be happy, but I won’t!

That's the trouble with the stuff - I was talking to our conservation officer last week about it, and as he said, there's nothing more demoralising than clearing a few miles of riverbank totally of HB but knowing there's loads growing further upstream and their seeds will soon find their way downstream again.