does anybody know anything about bees and roses? I'm figurin' on planting roses this year instead of a garden.But, if bees dont like roses much I guess 'll have to come up with another plan :)
Your friend,
john
Based upon what I have read, bees don't like roses........................ or tomatoes!
nope. i have lots of roses and very rarely do i see a bee on them. go to your local nursery and ask them if they know what grows in your are and attracts honey bees.
They will use roses for pollen when nothing else is blooming.
Hmmm...I might still grow roses....Mostly for me to look at I suppose then....And blackberries and moonflowers for the bees!
My tomatoes didnt do well last year but it seems cantalope did real good!And, it was the first time I ever did cantalope!.Youre right about the tomatoes tho, cuz I knew the bees dont care for them much.
\Thanks you guys!
your friend,
john
Last spring, I planted some blueberry bushes/plants in large pots and placed them on my deck. Since it was the first year, the blueberry's did not bloom. But I'm anticipating that the bees will be attracted to them this spring!
I know that bees have a hard time seeing the colour red. Thats why red flowers are more rare. Red flowers are mostly pollinated by butterflies that can see red. Or so ABC & XYZ says.
I never saw the bees in the roses, but this past summer is the first time I've seen the rose hips swell after the petals fell off; I'm guessing the rose hips had fertile seeds in them. Whether the bees had anything to do with it or if the rose plants had to mature enough I couldn't say.
Raspberries, blueberries, beebalm, hollies, crape myrtles, cockscomb, coneflower.
My husband has a lot of roses and I rarely see any bees on them.
When I go shopping for "bee plants" I look for the ones at the nursery that have a lot of bees on them :-D
.
Bees and bumblebees visit much in Rosa rugosa to get pollen. We say it "Road rose". They are every where.
But not rose but plenty of pollen foragers invite Paeonia officinalis.
It blooms in early summer. It may have tens of flowers.
(http://www.brandymount.co.uk/images/paeonia_officinalis.jpg)
After reading the comments, it seems that raspberries, blueberries and blackberries would work well on a small farm, along with most types of clover and buckwheat.
Regards,
Tucker
I'm not an expert but I understand that bees like flowers that have "centers" such as cone flowers, marigolds, clover, etc. where they can get to the nectar without having to have a long "mouth" to get to it. I understand that honeybees don't like honeysuckle because they can't get to the nectar. Just what I heard!
all great. i love the buckwheat. not all clovers. white is good and maybe a couple of others? i have some kinds they don't touch.
Quote from: Tucker1 on February 01, 2010, 04:58:31 PM
After reading the comments, it seems that raspberries, blueberries and blackberries would work
Blueberry needs very special soil comapered with those other berries.
Soil must be very acid, pH 4,5. It does not grow in same soil as rasberries and blackberries.
But raspberry is one of the best nectar producers. Continuous bearing Polka is a good plant .
Berry weight is 6 g.
(http://www.independentoffers.co.uk/csp/ind/readeroffersuk/products/medium/FF_INDW190.jpg)
Quote from: Finski on February 01, 2010, 09:53:04 PM
Quote from: Tucker1 on February 01, 2010, 04:58:31 PM
After reading the comments, it seems that raspberries, blueberries and blackberries would work
Blueberry needs very special soil comapered with those other berries.
Soil must be very acid, pH 4,5. It does not grow in same soil as rasberries and blackberries.
I should get a pH test my blackberries and blueberries grow within feet of each other - the most prolific plant has blackberries right beside it. The one with the largest berries was choked out by blackberry. (Or I could search PH ranges and try to find a compromise zone to deduce what the soil pH will likely be.)
Finski: Thanks for adding the photos to your postings. It makes me look forward to spring.
Regards,
Tucker1
Blackberries grow best when the soil pH is between 5.5 and 7
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/ec/ec1303/ (http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/ec/ec1303/)
Raspberries grow best at a soil pH of 5.5-6.5,. So, it is same as with blackberry.
Blueberry is totally differnet plant.
My 6 years experience is that it is not possible to grow without pH meter. Digital pH meter is about 100$.
But I love blueberries and I have about 13 different varietes. They grow fine when I have mixed silt and acid pH 4 spagnum peat. When some plants begun to die I byed pH meter, It revealed that pH was 6,5.
I'll print your post and bring it out to my plants. Maybe they can run a pH test and decide fairly which group should die off.
EDIT: My mistake, I misread the "not possible" post. A pH tester would be a nice gadget to have.
.
I had an opportunity to get Texas Salvia microphylla to grow. It was really beautifull in a 60 litre container. It bloomed long, 3 months. It has much nectar but a long flower tube. Bees get the nectar when flower drops to the ground.
Now I should get new plants or seeds. It is strange that they are not sold in Europa. Difficult to get.
I like those nectar plants because they invite butterflyes to homeyeard.
(http://www.pepinieres-huchet.com/media/salvia_microphylla_hot_lips__046164400_1536_31072008.jpg)
(http://okarin.hp.infoseek.co.jp/bunkaen/salvia-microphylla603.jpg)
that's a pretty flower.
i grow raspberries, blackberries (both wild and cultivated) and blueberries. berries are a big business around here.
.
Our woodland is full of wild blueberry/billberry. They are 4 inch tall. Bees get from them wet nectar but in that time of spring hives are not able to get surplus. I think that billberry nectar does not have much sugar.
I have in greenhouse American Blueberries. Flowers are big and bees got a full load quickly from flowers.
European blueberry
(http://www.lansi-savo.fi/Uutiset/9199307.jpg)
We use this kind of "berry machine" to pick them. Some call it "Greedy"
(http://www3.jkl.fi/ksmuseo/haloo/sota/kuvat/poimuri.jpg)
(http://www.arctic-flavours.fi/fi_pageimages/poimuri34.jpg)
I just got a raspberry plant from a guy at work that I need to plant! Im gonna put it with my blackberries!
When I got my blackberries, the first year was GREAT!..I could sit there in a lawn chair and just eat em up!
The bees loved them too!
Hey Finsky!!! I havent seen you in ages!! It sure is good to see you back here!
your friend,
john
Great looking blueberries, Finski!
We don't have much here for bees... raspberries, blackberries, apples, pears, elderberries, strawberries, dewberries, blueberries, southern catalpa, tulip poplar, and assorted wildflowers. And thats only within 100 yards of my hives. The girls have a nice buffet to choose from, and they do take advantage of it. Needless to say, last years harvests were much better than previous years.
Quote from: sarafina on February 01, 2010, 02:29:48 PM
My husband has a lot of roses and I rarely see any bees on them.
When I go shopping for "bee plants" I look for the ones at the nursery that have a lot of bees on them :-D
That is exactly what I do!!!!
bees love wild rose ,pollen is plentiful.