Balsam starting to flower

[Les]

Had a look at the back of our allotment near the river today and the Balsam is starting to flower – may be hope for some honey this year

 

[VEG]

yep starting near me as well hopefully the bees will be onto it shortly.

 

[madasafish]

Not here: been far too cold for anything to flower. I reckon my garden plants are about a month behind. Since April we have had around 5 days when the temperature rose above 20C. And about 7 when it has not rained.

Balsam here is about 15cms tall.

 

[hiveabee]

Yes, just back from a walk with my 2 Labradors and all along the banks of some large ponds is Balsam starting to flower. Roll on white bees

 

[thepliedes]

There are moves to obliterate Balsalm from our landscape which I think is a bad thing. Everything in moderation. From an evolutionary prospect Balsalm thrives and has found its niche in our country and certainly helps to feed our bees. In my area, many colonies would have suffered through lack of Balsalm. I belong to a small conservation group where I live and have made this point to the Local Authority. Whilst it can be a threat to some of our other species of plants, it deserves a place and an important one too from a beekeepers perspective.

 

[hiveabee]

There are moves to obliterate Balsalm from our landscape which I think is a bad thing. Everything in moderation. From an evolutionary prospect Balsalm thrives and has found its niche in our country and certainly helps to feed our bees. In my area, many colonies would have suffered through lack of Balsalm. I belong to a small conservation group where I live and have made this point to the Local Authority. Whilst it can be a threat to some of our other species of plants, it deserves a place and an important one too from a beekeepers perspective.

I know what you mean but it does crowd out a lot of our native plants as does that Japanese knot weed.

 

[VEG]

balsom is relatively easy to get rid of in an area whereas knotweed is another kettle of fish

 

[REDWOOD]

HB has been flowering on the low lands for about a week now

 

[hiveabee]

balsom is relatively easy to get rid of in an area whereas knotweed is another kettle of fish

I didn't say it wasn't. I can lean a bit on its favour cos of the good honey we get off it. I was just making the point of non native plants moving in very easly

 

[VEG]

dont take offence as none meant

 

[hiveabee]

dont take offence as none meant

None taken.. I like debate

 

[Suzi Q]

There are mumblings on our allotments, with some plotholders trying to get it banned. I really don't see it as a problem, it is so easy to weed out if not wanted, and in terms of spreading, ok it 'pops', but i bet it doesn't spread its seed as far as a dandelion, or thistle, or any other wind assisted dispersal. I hope it is not banned, I love seeing the 'ghost' bees....

 

[The Cumbrian]

i bet it doesn't spread its seed as far as a dandelion, or thistle, or any other wind assisted dispersal.

You are almost certainly correct, however thistles and dandelions do not cause the environmental problems HB does.

 

[REDWOOD]

We need to get real here as HB is only in small pockets and can be removed easily and controlled like any other weed but to eradicate it totally would be lubricious, personally I would prefer to see HB than hills full of ferns at leased they are colourful and useful

 

[Suzi Q]

You are almost certainly correct, however thistles and dandelions do not cause the environmental problems HB does.

Point taken, although I was only thinking about the allotment/garden environment, where balsom can be easily controlled.

 

[The Cumbrian]

Two points.

First. As I understand it the main problem is the erosion of the banks in water courses.

Second. Just because it is useful to us as beeks the wider UK picture has to be considered, and there seems to be evidence of its environmental damage.

It would be a difficult world if every minority interest could dictate what it wanted.

 

[VEG]

I think we as humans are doing far worse damage than the balsom.

 

[The Cumbrian]

I think we as humans are doing far worse damage than the balsom.

We as humans introduced the Balsam.

 

[oliver90owner]

we as humans are doing far worse damage than the balsom

Yeah. Who brought it here in the first place? Certainly didn't 'pop' it's seeds from it's native origins, did it? So it is only a small part of the ecological damage instigated by human activity.

 

[VEG]

As I said we do more damage, oh I love the balsom by the way.