# Chicory and iron weed



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

Here in SW Mo. I have tons of chicory and iron weed,but rarely ever see a bee on them?Goldenrod isn!t much better. The old time beeks say it!s the soil ? We do have wild white and blue aster[they work the blue aster more]also spanish needle,wild mint,milkweed,wild sunflowers and some clovers.My neighbor across the road has 30 ac. of alfalfa that has bloomed longer between cuts because of all the rain,and still that way in aug.he,he.I thanked him for letting my bees forage longer,he didn!t think that was funny.I gave him a qt. of honey and he said your welcome.Do youi think it!s in the soil or some other factor.Thanks in advance for your replies.


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

I tend to believe it's just that something else in the area is more attractive. The reason I say this is because I have both chickory and ironweed. When the chickory is blooming, the bees are all over it. When the ironweed is blooming, the bumblers work it, but the honeybees don't. They both grow well in this area.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Mine sure work the chicory especially in a drought when everything else stops blooming...


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

We have calico aster and golden rod in the fall. The honey bees work both. I see them on iron weed occasionally, but not great numbers.


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