Types of plants/blossoms needed?

[AllthingsG]

I've been really interested in getting bees for over a year. I live on an acreage and had planned to place the hive on a hillside terrace near our pasture and some distance from my house. We have flowering pear trees, clover and a few wild flowers on our property. Is the flowering ground cover "Crown Vetch" of any use? it has a clover like blossom. If needed, I'd like to plant additional flowers or whatever they'll need before bringing them home. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks,
Joni

[FRAMEshift]

Welcome to Beemaster.   :-D  If you could go into your profile and add something under location.... at least what state or country you are in.... that would help folks here who are trying to advise you.  


How much acreage are you thinking of planting?   Bees routinely fly 2 miles or more in all directions to forage and that is a huge area.  You would have to plant a very large area to make a difference in the amount they have for forage.  But of course every little bit helps.  Here is an interactive map so you can see which bee forage blooms in your area at different times of the year:

http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/Honeybees/Forage.htm

 Vetch is a long blooming forage crop for bees but I don't know anything about Crown Vetch in particular.   White Dutch clover and Yellow clover are good bee forage and you could establish that is a pasture without too much trouble.  Red clover is not used as forage by honey bees. even though it's shown on the map lists.

[preston39]

Joni,

The more informed here will be specific, I suspect. However, I can tell you the bees visit our pasture and hay fields which have crimson,ladino,dutch,red clovers as well as a selection of weeds here and there on the hundreds of acres. They literally cover the clovers and alfalfa sections. An occasional sprig of thistle( :evil:) receives much attention also.  We have several patches of blackberry which are popular(good for cobblers/pies also).   :-DBefore the era of CCD when harvesting hay one could see many bees leaving the flowers as stems fell. Now, a few are observed.  

The clovers would be my choice to enhance bee forageing.

In ransom fashion the other member of this team required me to place a butterfly bush periodically through out and they sure draw the b-flys and bees. They are beautiful, especially the gold and orange monarch...my favorites.

[AllthingsG]

Thank You both for your replies. I'll be sure to include more information in my profile.

I live in Eastern Nebraska near a little town called Fort Calhoun which is about 20miles North of Omaha. When I spoke of planting...I was referring to additional wild flowers and the like. We too have wild blackberry bushes in our woods along with numerous mulberry trees.

[dfaulkner]

Do the bees work the mulberries?

[AllthingsG]

I don't have bees - yet. I mentioned the mulberry trees because they flower in the spring and we have several. I'm trying to figure out if I have enough going here - as far as existing plantings go -  to support a hive. I'm new here too.

[hardwood]

The bees won't work your mulberries but you can sure make some fine pies/wine with them (just ask Bud1)! Although it's nice to plant for your bees keep in mind that a colony can forage 8,000 acres so unless you plan to plant in a BIG way for them all you are really doing is giving them a little sip of nectar now and then.

Scott

[AllthingsG]

This is all great news! I was concerned that I needed to add plants. Thanks for the info!