Anyone from the Midlands area of South Carolina that can give me an approx. on the honey flow here. I live in Saluda, SC and was wondering if the flow has stopped in June. I have searched the net but have found nothing. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
David.
If it is the same as here in Georgia, the main honey maker we get is from the populars and they have passed already. Sourwoods will bloom with in the month and that is about the last honey to be made for the year. Goldenrod in the fall is some, but most leave that on the hives for the winter. Just wildflowers and some clover and weeds are all that's blooming now.
Your flow should be minor if any at this time. It has been an odd year with the ups and down of the weather and rain. I have had one odd year(two years ago) where the bees put up as much honey in July as our two months that are considered flow months (April and May). Theswe bees are howevr near town limits and may have ben visiting alot of planted not naturqal forage.
Your main flows are tulip popular, blackberry, privit hedge, holly in the bottoms over your way, and sparkleberry in the sandland out 39 toward Wagner. They love a good holly bottom if you can find one. The sparkle berry is hit and miss based upon the rain (moisture) during the bloom.
As you probably know we do not have in sourwood of concentrations in the midlands of SC, only in the mountain areas. And it seems to be very hit and miss there. You will however find a few sourwood scattered around the creeks ocassionaly in your area but not enough to amount to a flow. I know we have a few along Turkey Creek.
You have some folks throw bees on a patch of strawberries and call there honey strawberry honey. They also do the same with peaches which don't produce anything in our area as i am aware of. It is just sales prpoganda. Our honey shuold be classified as wildflower unless you do have access to a sourwood yard in the hills.
Midlands beekeepers meet the first Tues of the month in Lexington. They have a website.
Quote from: AllenF on June 02, 2011, 05:28:03 PM
If it is the same as here in Georgia, the main honey maker we get is from the populars and they have passed already. Sourwoods will bloom with in the month and that is about the last honey to be made for the year. Goldenrod in the fall is some, but most leave that on the hives for the winter. Just wildflowers and some clover and weeds are all that's blooming now.
The flow stopped last week here in gray,ga. everything dead because of no rain and 100+ days. just trying to keep the bees happy with lots of water close to the hives and feeding. I have a lot with sunflowers only 2 foot tall trying to get to bloom to give the bees something.