# What should I plant for my bees?



## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Biggest nectar yields for the space are likely to be trees. Just add more of whatever types produce honey in your area.

Bees range out over thousands and thousands of acres so an additional acre isn't going to do much for them, and it may be a lot of work for you.

But flowering trees that produce nectar or useful pollen (whatever kind are in your area, and I have no idea what that might as I am in NY) will be a big boost, in season.

The only drawback is the long time it takes to get trees to flowering size, though some will flower sooner than others.

Enj.


----------



## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

So much depends upon what else is available for forage already and what your soil conditions (fertility, acidity, moisture) and if you are planning on adding amendments to change any of the soil conditions. In general, look to fill in the blanks. To do that you need to know what you have. You might start by using google maps pro and drawing a 3 mile radius circle around your yard and looking at what is inside the circle.


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Somebody here asking for the cut hay too in addition to the bee forage.
I have been researching quite a bit. I would recommend to go for the alfalfa, saintfoin,
clovers or crimson clovers, buckwheat, white and yellow clovers, someone said Hubam clovers.
Canola honey will crystalize fast so turn them into the cream honey. They are easy to grow and so
is mustard. Borage is good too but they are hard to get rid of once established. Reseed easily though.


----------



## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

Hoping to find something possibly native, or something I dont have to manage as much. Not looking to cut hay from it (not enough space to worry about it).


----------



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Plant an apple orchard so you can sell apples to help pay for more bees. Plant field mustard between the tree rows for very early pollen and then nectar flow as daytime temps get over 65F. Mow the mustard as the trees start blooming so the trees get good pollination. After the tree bloom, plant buckwheat or some other summer blooming crop. Or choose some other tree that needs bees to get high yields of a crop that you can sell.


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

The nectarine and white or yellow peaches will bloom months 
earlier than the apples. Apples sometime have the fruit flies that you
have to trap or spray or put baggies over the fruits. Peaches you don't have to.
So half acre of apples and half peaches or nectarine.


----------



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

I prefer trees or shrubs for the bees, although they will take a few years to get going. This nursery has a lot of the harder to find ones. http://rockbridgetrees.com/product-category/trees-for-bees/


----------



## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

At this point I think I am going with some dwarf apple trees and fireweed.


----------



## AvatarDad (Mar 31, 2016)

Earlier you said "native" and I agree 100%. when I plant native plants I find I don't have to worry about droughts or freezes or whatever, plus it makes me feel better. (We all sort of love mimosa trees... be honest, they are cool and many of us have childhood memories... but I love the Eastern Redbud better. 90% of the country has never heard of it, but here in GA it heralds spring every year... the very first bloom of March (or late February). My favorite tree... maybe... there are so many)

Secondly, several folks have said "trees" and I agree. Despite all the flowers in the yard, for the largest part of summer the bees were collecting nectar from sources I could not readily see in the 'hood on a casual walk. I'm sure it is the cherry, sumac, sourwood, tulip poplar, and other trees and not some clover in a pasture. (although I greatly appreciate the goldenrod in the pasture just down the road right about now). 

shorter version: "local treez rule"!


----------



## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

Given apples are not really native here, I've already got them on the property so yeah.

I've got acres and acres of trees, unless its a fruit producing tree I'm not really interested in putting more in this area.


----------



## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

You may have acres of trees, but only a small subset of them are good bee-nectary trees(or excellent pollen or propolis producers). Plant those and you will find your bees foraging on them in a big way. I wish I could recommend some specifically for your area.

I live in area with lots of trees and have a large woodlot on my farm and I still plant trees every spring. Only since I took up bees I now plant almost exclusively species that are good bee trees. 

Enj.


----------



## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

Michael Bush said:


> Planting for bees:
> http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#planting


Thanks

I understand that they forage far and wide, and that the little unplanted area I have them in will have minimal effect. Just want to fill it with something, something I can have and have an excuse not to mow it anymore lol.

Will be looking for bulk source of miniture/dwarf fruit trees soon, and probably will the rest with fireweed


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

When we're talking about planting trees and others, there are
the early blooming like the Spring bulbs and then the summer blooming as
well as the early Autumn types. Do consider the 4 seasons to plant something
for each. Daffodils, crocus, forbesill, paperwhite, and hyacinth I will plant them now.


----------



## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

various trees using black locust as a nurse plant


----------

