When is the latest time for honey harvest in South UK?

[Abbee]

Hi all. Just wondering when was the latest harvest anyone has done after July? Particularly in the Surrey region.
We harvested some 2 weeks ago, (26 July). We found there was loads more honey but it wasn't completely capped. We didn't do the trick of holding horizontal and one shake because there was so many.
Some were ready one side but not capped the other and others had big gaps in the centre.
Checked again today and not much better. Could be because of the hot weather and dearth.
2 of the hives have 1 brood and 4 supers. Each with at least 3 supers pretty full of honey.
Can we harvest at the end of August?
The harvest isn't the priority but what to do with all those supers when we prepare for winter if we don't harvest is the worry.

 

[pargyle]

Hi all. Just wondering when was the latest harvest anyone has done after July? Particularly in the Surrey region.
We harvested some 2 weeks ago, (26 July). We found there was loads more honey but it wasn't completely capped. We didn't do the trick of holding horizontal and one shake because there was so many.
Some were ready one side but not capped the other and others had big gaps in the centre.
Checked again today and not much better. Could be because of the hot weather and dearth.
2 of the hives have 1 brood and 4 supers. Each with at least 3 supers pretty full of honey.
Can we harvest at the end of August?
The harvest isn't the priority but what to do with all those supers when we prepare for winter if we don't harvest is the worry.

I'm further South than you - I don't usually harvest my honey until about third week of August - they are still capping frames in my hives and with this weeks hot weather I may leave it a further week. I rarely find any serious amounts of uncapped honey by this time and there's still the ivy flow and forage around in September for the to build up brood box stores for winter.

A couple of weeks could make all the difference to capping off frames and I'd be inclined to move any partially capped frames into the middle of the supers and any that are mostly capped I'd put in the top super until you are ready to harvest again.

Any uncapped frames and unripe honey can go in a super nadired (placed under the brood box) when you have harvested the crop and they will move it up into the brood box for winter stores as the queen reduces laying in time for winter.

You might want to invest a few quid in a refractometer because it's more accurate than the shake test and you may well find that some uncapped will be fine to harvest.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You might want to invest a few quid in a refractometer because it's more accurate than the shake test and you may well find that some uncapped will be fine to harvest.

 

[enrico]

You can harvest whenever you want, be steered by having a super full of mainly capped frames!

 

[steve1958]

Another 2 weeks then take the honey off.
This will give you time to treat for varroa and help them build up a supply of winter food.