Got a new problem. I have infestation of broadleaf weeds near my hives. It is choking out the grass, so I need to do something besides just keep it weed wacked.
Now I used to be a certified herbicide applicator, but well before the bee issues. None of the weeds are flowering at this point.
My bees have plenty of water and they use that daily. Main flow is on now, I have maybe a week to 10 days of that left.
Normally I would use something like 2-4D or Curtail or similar broad leaf specific wet spray application. Because of the bees I am afraid to use any of the suggested. My thoughts revolve around using some sort of granular herbicide, but I am not familiar with any nor know what/which is bee safe.
If you are not positive about the bee safety please don't suggest the product. Thanks
I was at a friends bee yard and he places a single roof shingle
In front of the hive and it kept the weeds at bay
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i'm not into 'lawns' whatever grows is fine with me except nut sedge as it is invasive & can choke out everything else. i had some in the vicinity of my hives. i covered the areas that had sedge with cardboard & covered that with mulch & left that over the winter. tilled it & seeded it with fescue & dutch white clover the following spring. i start new flower beds the same way. i do the same thing near the hives but leave the mulch permanantly around the hives so i do not have to mow around them
I have my bees at one yard on a concrete slab the other is on a deck. I mow as close as I can. Good luck
Joe
spike will keep it bare ground for years. I would use 2-4d or garlon 3A in the evening. Unless your bee's are green they will be fine I just use glyphosate
Some of my bees are on a concrete slab others are in the grass. Those in the grass have a heavy felt ground cover under them to keep the weeds at bay.
I pull all the weeds I want out of the yard by hand.
Rock salt works for me.
since you say the weeds are choking out the grass, i'm guessing you want the grass?
i use weedmaster in the pastures with success. i don't use it when stuff is blooming and i spray late when the bees are heading in and not apt to get into it. for you, you may want to close them up at night and spray, then leave them closed until it's good and dry the next day. WM breaks down pretty quickly, but i'd skip anything that's blooming.
http://www.cdms.net/LDat/mp8QL004.pdf (http://www.cdms.net/LDat/mp8QL004.pdf)
the safest thing to do is let it go. if you want to buy weedmaster, places like coastal carry it. it's a good pasture spray.
Weedmaster I have. Not that I want the grass.....it is a steep hill. I just have to control the weeds so they don't propagate. Actually we all have that responsibility, these broadleafs are considered an invasive species, the name slips my mind at this early hour.
Actually right in front of the hives is bark and ground cloth, the area is above and 10 feet or more from the hives.
No I don't prefer the grass, but I have yet to find a ground cover that will survive in this spot....still working on that part.
So next hot stretch will do the block them in thing. Of course no spray any flowers.
When the Fracking crews left the natural gas well sites they let me have some of the plastic they used to cover the ground.
It's heavy stuff being 1/8 inch thick and Black in color.
I cut it into 4 ft squares and put my hive stands on it.
It keeps down weeds and I hope hive beetles too.
I ride the mower down to the field. If I'm going to be doing anything with the hives, I'm suited up so I do 5 or 6 passes in front of the hives. Both sides and the rear has wild flowers and ferns growing. It actually looks pretty nice.
Quote from: rober on June 10, 2013, 10:15:56 AM
i'm not into 'lawns' whatever grows is fine with me except nut sedge as it is invasive & can choke out everything else. i had some in the vicinity of my hives. i covered the areas that had sedge with cardboard & covered that with mulch & left that over the winter. tilled it & seeded it with fescue & dutch white clover the following spring. i start new flower beds the same way. i do the same thing near the hives but leave the mulch permanantly around the hives so i do not have to mow around them
SHB love that mulchy stuff around the hives make it easier for larva to get into the ground. :shock:
If you can determine if they are annual just don't let them bloom and form a seed head. other wise shingle your ground. :) d2
QuoteSHB love that mulchy stuff around the hives make it easier for larva to get into the ground
not a problem here.