Planting for Bees....

Amari said:

Strange that Borage is not included in the top 20 - vastly better than hawthorn IMO. Also the pic labelled 'clover' certainly isn't.

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Actually, it certainly is. The common name of melilotus is sweet clover, from the Greek, meli = honey, lotus = clover flower. As opposed to white or red clover, which is a trifolium = 3 leaved.

If you still doubt, google sweet clover and see what it throws up.

it is a fabulous sweet scented plant that bumble and honeybees adore.

And echium is related to borage, so the boraginaceae are represented.

Poisonous for livestock too. It contains anticoagulant toxin.

Jed D said:

Brother Pete , if we're not careful , will get nicknamed.
the Borage brothers

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Compared with what I have been called before I will happily take that

This place has borage seeds on sale for 24p http://www.vegetableseeds.net/Herb_Borage_p/her04.htm

I've ordered a few packets.

They do a free £10 voucher if you add a link from a blog to them.

The link states borage seed 'currently unavailable'.

Top 20 according to who?

Jed D said:

Oh no, I shouldn't have researched this, after reading about " The Black Locust tree" or False Acacia... I've suggested to my wife , we plant a Acacia & Lime forest, with Borage & Comfrey ground cover ,surrounded by dandelion and clover meadow , with a Hazel hedge. And get two sheep.

My Wife being a level headed lady took one look at me and suggested , early and late crop of Borage..

It was going o.k. til I mentioned the sheep..


P.S.
Just on a serious note , If the Borage makes it through winter , I'll leave it alone. If not , I'll re-seed with a mix of Phacelia , Borage , clover. That way we can mower the Borage and leave the clover to enjoy the summer..

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http://www.mailordertrees.co.uk/Til...WhGOgJiikER0NhyTUWliD-oCg46vDOC0LMaAvVa8P8HAQ
Plant trees when you can at the margins of the field. Two birds or rather several with one tree, bees,birds, other insect life and shade for hot days also timber given time. Smaller trees get a better establishment and don't suffer as much in drought and wind. you can pleach limes to make a wind break or give shade.

No stop.. save it til spring !

I must sort out my computer skills & my planting program...

Didn't mean to post twice....

Hey Hey Hey , Well it's over wintered and is about to flower...

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums...48139490_867444105541475924_o_zpsqczbuyzp.jpg

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums...4806140_6007427387631603571_o_zpsz0zc1ufp.jpg

It could be a touch early to produce any cut comb !!!!

I'll see how many times I can get it to flower this year... In the second photo , you may spot some clover type stuff ( it just appeared )
We also harvested about 3lb of seed from last years crop ( with a hedge trimmer and sheet ) , I've now got my eye on another patch for this seed..

Hey , it's in flower , Well just..
I'll rotavate it back in as soon as it sets seeds...

Well worth going on to Sanfoin as a permanent ley - arguably the best honey, the bees go nuts for it.

Another alternative is to double seed borage (split plot into two, one sown early, one later for a longer flowering season). I had borage all summer last year and the last didn't die off until early December!

Good on you though - great to able to set a few acres with advantageous plants

Erichalfbee said:

Poisonous for livestock too. It contains anticoagulant toxin.

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Which one, please, ericA?
ta

Echium, Vipers Bugloss.
I understand that its contamination of hay in any significant amount is supposed to have a toxicity similar to ragwort.

I was wondering about planting some Sanfoin. As the soil is very poor and sandy.

Copied & Pasted from website... Sainfoin: Produces Nectar and Pollen for Honeybees and Bumblebees. This nectar is secreted exceptionally freely and is considered one of the highest yielding honey plants. This is one of the few honeys which is purely monofloral in the British Isles. The flowers of sainfoin attract huge numbers of insects. According to studies, sainfoin can attract ten times more bees than white clover. There are many beekeepers who consider sainfoin honey to be superior to that from any other source. When sainfoin flowers, it is so appealing to Honeybees that they will often ignore all other nectar sources to forage on it. Pollen is also gathered, it being one of the oiliest pollens available. sainfoin flowering in September will be making a big contribution towards bees winter reserves.

Having said this, Viper Bugloss is also in my shopping basket on a well known Bee plant website !!!!

Hey Jed...

This company do great wildflower seed mixes... they have a bee annual seed mix, and a bee and butterfly seed mix that has both annuals and perennials, so it establishes fast and then the perennials last on and gain momentum as the years go on.

http://www.bostonseeds.com/products/2/Wildflowers-Seed/47/Wildflower-Seed-Mixtures-100/

"Bright and beautiful British native wildflowers, attractive to Bees and Butterflies, whilst creating a visually attractive meadow. Carefully formulated to include twenty species from the Royal Horticultural Society "Perfect For Pollinators" list. Contains twenty three British native wildflower species plus Borage, Sainfoin, and Dwarf Sunflower to encourage a wide range of pollinating insects and other wildlife."

Erichalfbee said:

Echium, Vipers Bugloss.
I understand that its contamination of hay in any significant amount is supposed to have a toxicity similar to ragwort.

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thanks - is Echium poisonous for any grazer in particular. Eg. I am told by horsey friends that ragwort is poisonous to horses, but sheep are OK with it, ('course, that might be because sheep aren't generally around very long compared to horses!)

bontbee said:

thanks - is Echium poisonous for any grazer in particular. Eg. I am told by horsey friends that ragwort is poisonous to horses, but sheep are OK with it, ('course, that might be because sheep aren't generally around very long compared to horses!)

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Sheep are also nibblers. They eat shorter grass. Horses are like cows - With big tongues that wrap around and pull longer grass. One of the farms I keep bees on rotates sheep with horses occassionally so the ground doesn't get too many stinging nettles...something to do with their urine....OMG...I'm rambling now!