# Need Planting Advice



## Virginia Bee (May 20, 2010)

OK fellow beeks...I need some advice.

In front of my hives, I have a field about 100 yards deep and 500 yards wide. Each side on the wide part had a natural spring. I am in VA...Planting Zone 7.

My neighbor used to cut it for hay, but this year he has gotten too old for the task and as of this summer, I have been mowing it.

For my other tasks on the land, I have my 52 HP Massey Tractor, a 6' tiller, a large PTO driven spreader, a 8' sickle bar cutter and a positive attitude.

I have a large garden, fruit trees, berry plants and vines that I have planted elsewhere on the land the last several years and all is doing well...but I cannot resist the urge to plant something in front of my hives in this large field space that right now, I am mowing every 2-3 weeks and just pretty much has grass.

If this was your space...what would you plant and how would you plant it to help your bees out?

Assume I have never done something like this before. Please offer advice on what, when and how much to plant and good sources to order seeds.

I have not done something like this before. I have never grown flowers or things for bees and I kind of need some serious input on the details.

Please help me out. The more detailed the information the better.

On a side note, I have been kicking around the idea of about 1/2 each clover mix and buckwheat from Kelley's bees, but my gut tells me that I could probably do better. 

I look forward to your comments...heck...I am counting on your comments.

Oh, also, the land is pretty good...I have had no problem with any trees, berries, vines or shrubs I have planted.

Thank you.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Go for variety. Kelley sells a mixture of white and yellow sweet clover. Add some crimson clover, birdsfoot trefoil, grazing alfalfa, chicory, white dutch clover, asters, goldenrod and dandelions.


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## ChickenChaser (Jun 6, 2009)

As MB suggested, a variety. I am looking to plant some chicory to help during next summer's dearth. 

You mentioned buckwheat. You still have plenty of time to plant some and get a bloom this year. With ground moisture/rainfall, you will get blooms in about 4 weeks. Bees will work the "stuffing" out of the common variety (Mancan) but the verdict is out - for me, anyway, on honey production from it. I am hearing the Japanese varieties are better. A 6 or 12 ft. strip down one side or end would be easy to prepare, I would think. It does well in rocky areas less than favorable for other plantings.

CC


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## markspillman (Jun 7, 2011)

Michael Bush said:


> Kelley sells a mixture of white and yellow sweet clover. Add some crimson clover, birdsfoot trefoil, grazing alfalfa, chicory, white dutch clover, asters, goldenrod and dandelions.


Is it better to sow this in the fall or spring?


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## arthurw (May 10, 2011)

You could just let it grow and see what comes up first. I'm in Northern VA and have a couple of acres around the hive area that I let go "natural" this year. I mow around the outside of it, and in a path so I can get to the bees easily. I got an amazing mix of wildflowers, so called weeds, and grasses. There was a lot of white clover and now a bunch of thistle. I didn't have to buy any seed, or plant anything! It's also very drought tolerant.


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## John V (Jun 7, 2010)

I'm not sure of your future plans on this land but if it were mine and I was going to stay for a while, I would plant in layers. Starting with trees, then add in shrubs, then perrenial flowers/weeds, and finally a ground cover. Or even a variation of them. You could use the land to produce specialty honeys in a succession. I you plant it up in a variety of early and late annuals, the first set would grow, flower, seed, and die just in time for the next succession. Some annuals such as buckwheat will continue this cycle throught out the summer and you will be able to get many bloom cycles out of it. Others, such as dutch clover, will only bloom and seed once until the following season. 

And of course, depending on how much extra work you want to put in and how able you are to read plants, you can make species such as dutch clover to bloom many times a year by cutting the flowers before they go to seed. This would be as simple as just a mow. However, if you have other plants mingled throughout, you would also be cutting them as well and possibly losing their blooms. But with some careful planning, you could definately make this benficial to both you and the ladies. 

I'm a city boy with a farmers heart. So if it were me, I would grow every bit of that land with as many fruit trees, berries, and garden plots that would fit. Eat it, store it, can it, freeze it, eat some more, and take the rest to a farmers market. And may be make a little extra honey from it.

Later, John


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

I would plant wildflowers native to your state. Also, you could plant red mulberry trees (not white!), thornless berries/fruit like Triple Crown thornless blackberry, currants, clove currants, thornless gooseberries, plum, pears, paw paw, grapes, serviceberry. Avoid planting invasives in your area.

Don't forget bulbs! Collect wildflower seeds and sow them where you want them.


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## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

What's wrong with white mulberry ? No good for bees?


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

What I read is that the white (mulberry) reseed/spread all over too much and the reds taste way better. I have the Illinois Everbearing mulberry and they are quite tasty with no seeds that I noticed.


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## Kazzandra (Jul 7, 2010)

Bee Bliss said:


> I would plant wildflowers native to your state. Also, you could plant red mulberry trees (not white!), thornless berries/fruit like Triple Crown thornless blackberry, currants, clove currants, thornless gooseberries, plum, pears, paw paw, grapes, serviceberry. Avoid planting invasives in your area.
> 
> Don't forget bulbs! Collect wildflower seeds and sow them where you want them.


Oh, I really like Bee Bliss's advice. Plant stuff that gives you and the bees a treat-- stuff that they pollinate and you get the fruit from-- especially natives. Go "edible landscape" all the way! 

And crocus! Get at least 100! The girls will thank you in the early spring when there's nothing else blooming!


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## Virginia Bee (May 20, 2010)

Thanks for the input so far.

This particular area has been a hay field (cut 2X per year and fertilized every year) for years. It has essentially no flowers at all...and darn few things other than grass.

As to my other plantings, I have the following:

A large vegetable garden (about 7500 sq ft). In it, I grow corn, tomatoes, cabbage, yellow squash, zuccini, sweet potatoes, okra, canalopes, watermelons, cucumbers, a bunch of different peppers, and acorn squash.

Fruit trees: 1 Mature mullberry, 10 mature walnuts, 3 cherry, 3 plum, 3 apple, 5 pear, 1 persimmon, 2 peach, 2 nectarine, 2 plumcot, 2 aprium, 2 figs, and 1 apricot.

Berries: 40' strawberry bed, 20 blackberry plants (5 types), 20 red/yellow/purple raspberry plants, 5 types currants, 10 blueberry bushes, 2 elderberry bushes, 4 boysenberries, 4 gooseberries, 3 grapes, 2 cranberries, and 21 of my favorite black raspberries.

Some have asked what are my future plans. Simple...this is my home for at least 20 more years. ASs said earlier, this area has always been a well tended hay field so it is in good shape. I want to keep it clear of trees since one day I may want to make it a hay field again. Besides...as given above, I kind of have the typical edible plants covered.

So from what you guys said above, maybe break out the 6' tiller, till a 12' wide stripe 100 yards long, do this about a half a dozen times to start out with, and maybe try broadcasting 6 different things, one in each, and see what works out?

I know about the things Kelley's sells...but what are other good sources? Also, what is the best time of year to plant some of these things? Remember, assume (correctly) that I have never planted these things in my life and I could use a bit of step by step.

THANK YOU!!!!!!


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Virginia Bee,

Yum!! Gotta ask.........do you have the Pink Champagne currant? Or the Jupiter grape? Those are really good. I have 6 types of pears and for currants, 2 reds, 1 black (yuck), 1 clove currant and the Pink Champagne (sweet but tangy)....and other stuff I won't bother to mention here. Most of our fruit trees are young and not fruiting yet.

Of course, the fresh fruit tastes even better with honey drizzled on it!

If your land was fertilized with manure, you may already have seeds ready to start!


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## corkerjoe (Jan 29, 2009)

Nix hardware & seed Nix Missouri Larry the seed man


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If you can find a helpful person at the local feed or farm store they can sometimes get you seed pretty cheap, but you have to find someone willing to look for things like Hubam clover or buckwheat or white dutch clover which they probably don't stock. But if you can get them to order it you usually save on the shipping because it will come in on a truck to them.


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## guyross (Feb 18, 2011)

Buckwheat seeds itself. I just harrow it win it goes to seed.


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