Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

I have two places in the back yard were I want to plant some flowering plants that will really help my one colony.

Here is my back yard:
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At the row of trees, in between all the trees, in the back I want to plant something.  Right in front of the row of trees there is an irrigation ditch, so there is plenty of water.

In the foreground on the left is my garden patch.  I only use about 1/4 of it for tomatoes, the rest of that area I could plant with flowers for the bees.

I'm asking now, in case there some kinds to plant in the autumn, but mostly I'm asking so I'll know what to plan next Spring.

I live in Southern Idaho, at about 42 North Latitude.  The first frost is about the first or second week of October, last frost is usually the first week of May.

Thanks.

How about a clover garden? I just ordered some sweet yellow from another member on here and plan on putting small patches of it everywhere along with the white that I already have. Gorgeous backyard by the way.

My top favorites for trees are tulip poplar, black locust, basswood, gum.

My top favorites for plants are dandelions, birdsfoot trefoil, white sweet clover, yellow sweet clover, dutch white clover, chicory, goldenrod, asters and if you don't mind that it's an annual, bucwheat.

Just curious, many of the plants are considered weeds to non-beekeepers. Those plants mentioned, if planted, would they go out of control? Can they be kept in flower beds or pots?
I guess I'm talking about the white/yellow clover and buckwheat.

you cant go wrong with lavender, sage, anise hyssop and purple loosestrife if its at all wet

If you plant buckwheat in the spring, weedwack it down after it goes to seed, you will get a second crop. The seeds will not overwinter though. Cleome is a fantastic annual for the bees (lots of nectar), it thrives on neglect and reseeds itself. Liatris is a great perennial that also reseeds itself, however it takes two or three years to bloom from seed so get started plants. My bees don't pay any attention to birdsfoot trefoil. Catmint is another good one.

Clover might be ok in with the back row of trees.  The irrigation ditch should stop it from expanding into the lawn.  I wouldn't want to plant clover in my veggie garden space.

>Those plants mentioned, if planted, would they go out of control?

I always hope they will, but they haven't.  At least not by my measure...

What about mustard?  That would be interesting in the garden space, and I could prepare mustard from the seeds.

what i did is i found out when my slow honey gathering time is for the bees and i planted things that flower that the bees like for that time--my slow time ,and for most peeps is julyist--so i found that they love the bush "sweet pepper bush"and here is a site
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/clethraalni.html (http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/clethraalni.html)

I'm a moron with plants, but here are my two current favorites:

I've become a big fan of sedum (I think the variety I have is 'spectabile').  It's a succulant, so doesn't need a lot of watering.  It's just now starting to flower and the bees absolutely love it!  I'm in Washingtong, but it does very well for me.

I also love salvia.  Not sure which variety I have, other than the fact that it's purple, but it has a long bloom time if you keep it watered and is also a bit drought tolerant.  It's been flowering in my yard since July and is still going strong.

Both are perennial and get bigger each year.  And very hardy, which is a must in my yard.  I love them for their late color and the fact that the bees love them!

Quote from: MagicValley on August 20, 2010, 11:47:04 PM
Clover might be ok in with the back row of trees.  The irrigation ditch should stop it from expanding into the lawn.  I wouldn't want to plant clover in my veggie garden space.

clover is a great green manure for your garden, plant it in the fall and till it in in the spring , clover fixes nitrogen in the soil for use by other plants, if you soil can support both , you veggies and the clover, is helps to cut down on other weeds.

Bees love mustard (wild or tame), radishes, turnips, Russian Sage, anise hyssop... variety is the thing that keeps things available all year round.

All the leaves from the trees get tilled into the garden every year.  Plus I add all the lawn clippings.  That soil is awesome after 4 years of doing this.