# Keeping your Bees FAT!



## MasterBee (Jun 9, 2009)

Hello guys, this is Masterbee again, what i would like to share today is my method of keeping my bees FAT. What i mean is having food supply as long as possible and never having to feed them, this is only good advice for those that have atleast more then 1 acre of land. Anyways i try to plant at least two trees and few shrubs that will flower in each month, that way i have monthly blossom. i found a good wiki page that you can use as a reference to help you choose what tree will grow in your area and apply this method and never worry about your bees starving, hope this helped for few of you out there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Nectar_Sources_for_Honey_Bees


*This is not an advertising!*

i like this site for my tree:

http://www.arborday.org/shopping/trees/trees.cfm


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## mike bispham (May 23, 2009)

Hi Masterbee

You inspired me to put my list on my website http://www.suttonjoinery.co.uk/CCD/plants_for_bees.htm

This has the beginnings of the months of flowering - but its a work in progress...

I'm surprised Lime is missing from the wiki pages? Its one of the favourites of the old beekeepers here.

Something I'd like to do is encourage people, especially farmers and foresters, to plant for wild honeybees. Unless they are very lucky a lot of districts simply won't support bees.

Mike


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## BruinnieBear (Jun 30, 2009)

Wish there was something this great for Zone 4! A lot of cross referencing yields sustainable species ... but I've definitely got this one bookmarked! We're USDAHZ 4-5. On the ragged edge of 5 when the wind blows cold and dry in winter.

Thanx MasterBee!:thumbsup:

BB


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## MasterBee (Jun 9, 2009)

*mike bispham* it would be great if you would list what months each tree or bush flowers that way users will know what they may need to plant or not over plant.


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## Radar (Sep 4, 2006)

<I'm surprised Lime is missing from the wiki pages?>

It is included in the list as a major nectar source under American basswood Tiliaceae Tilia americana L.


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

That's a nice resource. thanks for posting it.


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## mike bispham (May 23, 2009)

MasterBee said:


> *mike bispham* it would be great if you would list what months each tree or bush flowers that way users will know what they may need to plant or not over plant.


The months are in for some of them (the numbers in the middle of the table). I'll pop the others in when I have a moment to work on it, but if anyone would like to do a little research and help me fill it out that would be good 

Mike


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

MasterBee said:


> Anyways i try to plant at least two trees and few shrubs that will flower in each month, that way i have monthly blossom. [/URL]


This is a nice thing to do, planting trees and shrubs is always good for the environment, but how many flowering trees and shrubs does it take to feed your bees? I suspect that your bees are foraging alot farther than your one acre.

St. Lawrence Nursery of Potsdam, NY has trees and shrubs that are good in northern zones. I don't know anywhere else where you can get St. Lawrence apple trees, amongst other varieties. I don't know their website address.


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