Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH => Topic started by: pdmattox on March 14, 2007, 09:33:01 AM

Title: watermelon pollination
Post by: pdmattox on March 14, 2007, 09:33:01 AM
I have a couple of farmers that grow watermelons, and I would like some input on hive placement in these fields.
I would like to arrange them so to cover the whole field without being in the way of farmer and still be able to easly check on the hives. I was thinking of putting them on the edges of the the feild on a tree line, any ideas or suggestions?
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: Billy The Beekeeper on March 14, 2007, 10:12:50 AM
To be honest the tree line sounds good but one thing u gotta remember is that bee's will fly up to i think 5 miles to pollinate so as long as its in that area then it should work out nicely  :)                    :mrgreen:
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: Understudy on March 14, 2007, 02:15:41 PM
How many acres?
What does the property border? (ie. another farm, interstate highway, airport, oceanfront)
What is the shape of the property? (square, rectangle, L shaped)

Besides the tree line are there any structures on the property? (farmhouse, pump station, truck station)

Sincerely,
Brendhan

PS. I want some watermelons.  ;)

Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: pdmattox on March 14, 2007, 07:45:30 PM
How many acres?-----about 100

What does the property border? (ie. another farm, interstate highway, airport, oceanfront)---cow pastures and a dirt road.

What is the shape of the property? (square, rectangle, L shaped)------rectangle


Besides the tree line are there any structures on the property? (farmhouse, pump station, truck station)----pump station which i don't think they will like it if i put my bees there.

PS. I want some watermelons.  -------no problem in the first week of june.
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: Understudy on March 15, 2007, 12:40:58 AM
Roughly one hive per acre.
No more than 175 yards between hives.
No hive more than 250 yards from the field.
Here is it is in ascii

   
   
   
   
                 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
              x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
             ------------------------------------------
        x |          900 yards                                     | x
      |                                                        5  |
        x |                                                         0 | x
      |                                                        0  |
   x |                                                            | x
           |                                                        y  |
        x |                                                         a  | x
           |                                                         r  |
   x |                                                         d  | x
      |                                                         s  |
        x |                                                             | x
      |                                                            |
        x |                                                             | x
      |                                                            |
        x |                                                             | x
      |                                                            | 
        x |                                                             | x
     |                                                             |
        x |                                                             | x     
        ------------------------------------------
                    x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
                x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
          
          X = 1 Hive        

Sorry the ascii didn't turn out to well.


Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: pdmattox on March 15, 2007, 12:46:47 AM
Hey that was great, thanks. I like the treeline thing around the field, should cover the field well and be out of the way of the farmer.
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: TwT on March 15, 2007, 08:10:14 AM
that's a lot of work having them hives that scattered, I would put them on the tree line but more in a bunch like 3-4 hives together every 200 yards going around the field but thats just my opinion....
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: pdmattox on March 15, 2007, 10:58:37 AM
A little more info; The hives will be on 4 way migritory pallets.  So  that would be a pallet every 200 yards?
Title: Re: watermelon pollination
Post by: TwT on March 15, 2007, 11:06:17 AM
Quote from: pdmattox on March 15, 2007, 10:58:37 AM
A little more info; The hives will be on 4 way migratory pallets.  So  that would be a pallet every 200 yards?

yeah Dallas, that's what I would think, depends on the number of hives you plan on putting there at that pasture, if you not putting a lot then I would scatter them out put them equal around the field depending on how many hives you are going to use there......