When's a good time to start?

[Julie in Ash]

So it seems my search for a suitable venue for my first hives is over. Now I have hit another issue...

I had planned to kick off at the beginning of next season around the end of March time, however, the venue is a sort of market garden come small time crop grower. Beans, squashes, that kind of thing. He has crops in the ground now and he's making it clear he'd like Bees there yesterday. Very welcoming indeed. lol!

I don't know what to do. I will seek the advice of my Bee association at the meeting this evening but I wanted to pool wider thoughts. It may be possible for me to loan equipment from the associationuntil I've properly kitted myself out, but my thoughts are that local Queens have been winding down the laying. Is now a good time to set up my first hive? Or would you wait until the Spring?

 

[Popparand]

Hi Julie

From my own experience I would wait until the Spring before setting up your first hive. I bought a nuc last July and it did not survive the winter. Many possible reasons, but it's asking a lot for a colony to build up sufficient mass to get through the winter months.

As an alternative, you could buy a hive now and hope to get a swarm through your local association. Not many swarms around at the moment, but you never know.

If you are buying a nuc next year I would suggest you put your order in now. After this year's winter losses bees were in short supply.

 

[enrico]

If you can get a brood box with bees I would go for it now. Or as you say borrow a hive to keep your farmer happy!
E

 

[Beefriendly]

Go for it. Even small nuc's will get through winter if properly cared for...go for poly.

 

[BeeSpace]

I reckon, if you feel up for it, crack on.

Go on, if you can get a good strong nuc or colony and overwinter it in poly, get stuck in.

I would caveat this with the fact that I've had bees for precisely 25 days so may not be the best placed to advise ��

 

[Swarm]

I gave a nuc away last weekend, they were desperate for space and surplus to my requirements. I prefer offering someone a chance before I kill a laying queen, maybe someone in your association can help you out with bees?

 

[Amari]

So it seems my search for a suitable venue for my first hives is over. Now I have hit another issue...
I had planned to kick off at the beginning of next season around the end of March time, however, the venue is a sort of market garden come small time crop grower. Beans, squashes, that kind of thing. He has crops in the ground now and he's making it clear he'd like Bees there yesterday. Very welcoming indeed. lol!
I don't know what to do. I will seek the advice of my Bee association at the meeting this evening but I wanted to pool wider thoughts. It may be possible for me to loan equipment from the associationuntil I've properly kitted myself out, but my thoughts are that local Queens have been winding down the laying. Is now a good time to set up my first hive? Or would you wait until the Spring?

I'd be wary of having a bullying landlord.

 

[Julie in Ash]

I'd be wary of having a bullying landlord.

He's not like that, just very keen as it would be to his benefit too and I'd like to oblige if at all possible. His grandfather was a Beekeeper he says so he knows the score.

 

[Julie in Ash]

Thanks for your thoughts, people. I do appreciate different points.

At the club tonight the general thoughts are it would be pushing it a bit to start a hive totally from scratch, however it was hinted that perhaps an already established colony might free up one way or another. They are several moves between members, rationalisations from people who wish to scale back and members decided to quit the game altogether, so anything's possible. If not, they will kit me out in the spring as part of the beginner's scheme - you get a Mentor, loan of one National hive if needed and the Mentor will supply a Nuc of Bees for a very reasonable amount if needed.

 

[beebopper]

He's not like that, just very keen as it would be to his benefit too and I'd like to oblige if at all possible. His grandfather was a Beekeeper he says so he knows the score.

Which part of Kent are you in ?

 

[Millet]

Go for it... any problems can be asked on here and answered..

 

[ShinySideUp]

You are in the South so you can expect the season to go on for another couple of months at least, more if this weather keeps up so IMHO you have plenty of time to start a new colony that will go on to survive the winter.

 

[Julie in Ash]

Which part of Kent are you in ?

Ash near Sandwich so very nearly France.

 

[beebopper]

Ash near Sandwich so very nearly France.

Shame - exact opposite end from me - could have set you up otherwise.