watermelon pollination

pdmattox · 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?

Billy The Beekeeper · 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:

Understudy · 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. ;)

pdmattox · 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.

Understudy · 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

pdmattox · 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.

TwT · 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....

pdmattox · 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?

TwT · 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......