# Milk weed?



## Michelle Pensa Branco (May 22, 2012)

I've seen it on many lists as a preferred plant for bees, but I haven't seen it yet. I did discover last year that milkweed blossoms are very tasty before they bloom (like clusters of sweet, tender peas). http://www.mamabear.ca/2011/07/recipe-milkweed-flower-fritters/


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

check out the milkweed entry about 2/3 of the way down this bee forage table:

http://themelissagarden.com/TMG_Vetaley031608.htm


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## Bird Man (May 30, 2012)

Thank you both for the links. Looks like the bees will like it here. Also from the link from beregondo I learned varroa don't like lavender or coriander. I'll have to get some of those to help keep them safe.


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## khaas15 (Feb 17, 2010)

I live on a restored prairie and it's full of milkweed. Milkweed is easy to spread and I often take seeds and spread them. The flowers usually bloom about the same time as thistle, with linden soon to follow. I find the honey from these sources light hard to crystalize. The linden gives it a bit of a minty flavor. Bee's love milkweed!


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## Dan. NY (Apr 15, 2011)

There was a small patch of milkweed growing out in my 7 acres and last summer the bees were working it like crazy. It was very very dry and not much else available seemed like but those milkweeds were thick with bees. I recall that was maybe early/mid July last year, about. This year looks a month early. It was getting close a week ago when I looked at it.

Dan


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## Bird Man (May 30, 2012)

Here the buds are still pretty small. Only one here and there are getting bigger with a hint of pink on them. It's been so cold and wet the past week and a half here.


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## Michelle Pensa Branco (May 22, 2012)

Bird Man said:


> Here the buds are still pretty small. Only one here and there are getting bigger with a hint of pink on them. It's been so cold and wet the past week and a half here.


My bees are near Springville and I haven't seen them in almost two weeks. I am getting pretty worried about them, but hoping that the food they had left and the couple hours of sun a day we've been getting here have also been happening there. My husband keeps reminding me that this was supposed to be a hands-off hobby - but I'm finding it awfully hard to be two hours (and a border crossing) away!


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## Luke (Sep 8, 2003)

My milkweed has been in bloom since the 17th and still going strong. The bees love it and I can smell it coming in my office window.


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## heus (Apr 16, 2012)

There are some dead bees stuck to mine.


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## Bird Man (May 30, 2012)

Most of the milk weed here has come and gone already, we got a couple long hard rain storms on it not long after blooming and I think that killed a lot of it off.


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## TheCompound (Jan 24, 2011)

The milkweed here is nearing the end now. The bees like it, but I've got a lot of sweet clover that they seem to like more. I wish the bloom times were a little more offset. I've also got quite a bit of alfalfa that is allowed to bloom, but once the clover is blooming that's all they seem to want.


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