# What do you plant in Northern MN for fall flowers?



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

I believe the Goldenrod that is around is the best late nectar source. Thinking further ahead, crocus are supposed to be a good plant for an early pollen source for spring brood rearing and you could get those bulbs in the ground ready to go. Adrian.


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## BeePuncher (May 25, 2007)

mnflemish said:


> I am a new beekeeper. I need advise on what is good to plant for late summer/fall flowers. I have a small area of buckwheat and that is only good for the morning. Also have a bunch of Marigold. Was thinking of Sainfoin, Chamomile & Borage to plant. Was thinking about Sainfoin as it doesn't need as much nutrients as alfalfa. Looking at planting about 1 to 2 acres with stripes of different foliage. Other than clovers & alfalfa what does anyone else use in northern Minnesota to have flowers with good nectar flow in the fall?


I have planted sainfoin, it is not a fall bloomer - over here in eastern Ontario it blooms in June, a great dearth filler. It is perennial, so seeding it now would not get you fall blooms, but next spring. Wonderful multi-purpose plant, tons of honey and a great green manure, good hay plant as well. For the fall I would plant late sunflowers, even birdseed will sprout, and the bees will be all over it for both nectar and pollen. Keep us updated and good luck, 

Ivan


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## BeePuncher (May 25, 2007)

mnflemish said:


> I am a new beekeeper. I need advise on what is good to plant for late summer/fall flowers. I have a small area of buckwheat and that is only good for the morning. Also have a bunch of Marigold. Was thinking of Sainfoin, Chamomile & Borage to plant. Was thinking about Sainfoin as it doesn't need as much nutrients as alfalfa. Looking at planting about 1 to 2 acres with stripes of different foliage. Other than clovers & alfalfa what does anyone else use in northern Minnesota to have flowers with good nectar flow in the fall?


Sorry, forgot to mention, have never seen a honeybee work chamomile, don't think it's a honey plant. Borage rocks their world however! keep in mind though that planting for bees has to be on a fairly large scale to have any impact, i.e. more than a little flower garden - you're on the right track with the one or two acre idea.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Do serious beekeepers plant anything for bees? I don't know anyone who does. The folks I know who keep bees depend on what Nature provides for forage, not what I as a beekeeper, plant. It ain't practical.


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## mnflemish (Jun 7, 2010)

Thanks for the Sainfoin info. I am going to prep the ground to be ready next spring. Does the Sainfoin come back after it's cut like alfafa? So do you get 2 or 3 crops a season to plan a late bloom? I like the idea of perenial.


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## mnflemish (Jun 7, 2010)

Mark, normally I would let nature do it's thing. This year is so early and was thinking ahead if an early year should happen again I could be better prepared to have something for them to feed on instead of feeding them myself. Most of the flowers are blooming now that don't bloom till latter Sept for the norm. Here in Minnesota everything will be done blooming within a couple weeks with nothing for the bees to forage on this fall. 
Carol


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## BeePuncher (May 25, 2007)

sqkcrk said:


> Do serious beekeepers plant anything for bees? I don't know anyone who does. The folks I know who keep bees depend on what Nature provides for forage, not what I as a beekeeper, plant. It ain't practical.


Hi Mark, it can be very practical if you have farmland to look after or do cash crops. I have planted acres of buckwheat in past years for soil improvement - you can take the seed off for sale when done, and there's definitely a market for buckwheat honey. The point is if you are going to improve your fields with green manure might as well be a decent honey plant? I suggested sunflower to the original poster since they can be harvested as well. I do think it's a waste of time planting garden plants specifically for the bees, but planting for bees on the acre scale can be worthwhile. I always timed my buckwheat for the end of the main summer flow.


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## BeePuncher (May 25, 2007)

mnflemish said:


> Thanks for the Sainfoin info. I am going to prep the ground to be ready next spring. Does the Sainfoin come back after it's cut like alfafa? So do you get 2 or 3 crops a season to plan a late bloom? I like the idea of perenial.


Yes it does come back, but for some reason I never saw a huge second bloom, but there was some there. makes white honey too.


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

Mark,

I'm just getting into beekeeping but, I'm already making plans on finding bee yard sites near fields I can have an impact on. This may be small "waste areas where sweet clover can be planted. Or, buckwheat after wheat is harvested. 

While taking a drive in the country with my wife yesterday I came across a large field of buckwheat, no bee hives in sight. I have a mental note to visit this farmer over the winter.

My point is, your inputs for the potential honey production is relatively low. If you can find a site where you only have to provide the seed it is cheap. 10 lbs seed/A vs. 500 lb/A increase in honey production/year. Once sweet clover is established it will reseed.

Buckwheat is used for cover crops by many organic/sustainable farmers. Help with seed costs could sway a farmer to plant a cover crop you would like for honey production.

Here are two quick examples. I am sure there are other regional nectar sources that could be manipulated to augment honey production.

Tom


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## plaztikjezuz (Apr 22, 2010)

BeePuncher said:


> I always timed my buckwheat for the end of the main summer flow.


how do you time the buckwheat?

my cousin runs an organic farm where i keep my bees and she offered to plant some buckwheat next year for the bees. i suggested clover, but from what i am reading here, buckwheat seems to be popular.

do yo guys pull the honey supers before the BW blooms or just mix it all up. the honey i got this year was very light and tastes awesome.


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## mnflemish (Jun 7, 2010)

My first year with bees & buckwheat but my neighbor said to plant plots a month apart to have a fresh bloom coming in. Otherwise once the buckwheat starts to bloom it seems to keep blooming it's just not as lush & thick as it first started and he said it will keep blooming. The buckwheat nectar runs in the morning and shuts off. The bees do love the stuff, for sure. 
As far as extracting the buckwheat to separate take your scratcher and pull open the other capped honey and the capped buckwheat will stay during extracting until you scratch the caps open. Save the buckwheat to the end of your extracting to keep separate or the other way around. A seasoned beekeeper told me this method. And you can definately see the difference in color.


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## mnflemish (Jun 7, 2010)

Tom, here's a good article on Buckwheat. 
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1986-05-01/Buckwheat.aspx
I decided I am going to do my buckwheat to plant in mid July for fall, my existing buckwheat will reseed and come next year on it's own with a little tilling earlier, and plant Anise Hyssop & Catnip in the grassy areas where the golden rod isn't growing. I have about 5 acres of goldenrod now so will spray roundup this fall and start tilling/plowing this fall and plant next June for Northern MN. Thanks everyone for great feedback. Carol


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I guess my question is, if you buy seed, prepare the soil and plant whatever, will you really recoop your expenses in increased honey yeild? I have always heard that you will make more on the hay then you will on the honey, so you'd better plant for hay and hope for honey. I can see the green manure planting for soil improvement and hopefully a honey crop, but, since I don't know anyone of size who does this, I just figured it really wasn't practicle.

I do have about 20 acres of open hay/pasture land. We have allowed/gotten someone to cut it for us each year. Mostly intending to keep scrub from growing on it. Next year the folks who cut the hay want to run cattle on it. Maybe, since they have the equipment, I'll talk to them about planting it in buckwheat and then planting clover or some nectar producing hay crop.


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

sqkcrk said:


> I guess my question is, if you buy seed, prepare the soil and plant whatever, will you really recoop your expenses in increased honey yeild?


Mark,

That is the $1,000,000 question! How much honey can be made from an acre of buckwheat? By how many hives? What can you market the honey for? Can you harvest the seed to plant next year? Do you have to pay rent on the land? Etc. There could be scenarios where it might be profitable. Does anyone have reliable estimates for average honey yields from buckwheat?

I think the economics of planting sweat clover are a little clearer. Especially, since you don't have to replant.

Tom


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## Iliketrees (Aug 26, 2010)

off the top of my head... sedum, asters, goldenrod, mums, i know that tilia trees bloom from spring to fall (with the correct species variation).


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