Mustard?

[DayValleyDahlias]

There is a huge field of blooming mustard in an apple orchard very near our home...do bees find food in mustard blossoms?

Thank you~*~

[asprince]

YES! They love it. I let mine (mustard) go to seed last year and my bees covered it up. This year I planted a larger patch and plan to let it go to seed as well.

Steve

[pdmattox]

My bees work mustard. I raise nuc's on it and it  makes them brood up fast if you put syrup on for them. They will also make honey some years on it although it seems to give them atitude.

[DayValleyDahlias]

That is great news!  Thanks a heap!

[CBEE]

So they make honey mustard :-D
I gotta ask if the honey is flavored at all by the mustard ?

[Understudy]

I can't keep them off of it. They help pollinate the darn things too. Now they grow like weeds in my yard.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[CBEE]

If I am correct it is not a native plant and was used as an ornamental in flower gardens and got out of hand.
It is now considered an invasive weed in most warmer climate areas.

[asprince]

Are we talking about the same MUSTARD that I plant in my garden? Or maybe a relative?

Steve

[pdmattox]

Not sure what the honey tastes like but I know that brazilan pepper bush honey has a peppery taste to it. The mustard that you plant and the wild mustard will both be worked. Broccoli also when flowering the bees will cover it.

[Scadsobees]

Mustard and Broccoli are cousins in the Brassica family, I don't think it would flavor the honey too much.  But then again, my broccoli don't flower till fall, and I don't take that honey, so I wouldn't know.