herbercide

beemeupscoty · February 04, 2009, 03:20:14 PM

Hello,

I desire to start a hive this spring. All plans are put on hold because I plan to plant pine tress(RR# Loblolly) on and around the same area as the hives(15+acers). Part of the process is spraying herbercide, which concerns me. Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do? I am concerned that the chemicals may have an effect on the bees and/or honey production contamination. Perhaps there are some type of herbercides that will not harm the bees.

jdpro5010 · February 04, 2009, 03:48:14 PM

Herbicides ,in general, will not directly harm the bees. All bees are exposed to some chemicals everyday. However I would be more inclined to just put the bees in a less susceptible place, thereby doing my best to limit the exposure to foreign materials such as chemicals.

tlynn · February 04, 2009, 08:45:59 PM

Quote from: beemeupscoty on February 04, 2009, 03:20:14 PM
Hello,

Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do?

Sure. Don't use herbicides. How about a bush hog, DR Trimmer (as seen on TV!) or goats/sheep. They will clean up an area really nice. I can't come up with any rational justification for poisoning my property.

BjornBee · February 05, 2009, 08:58:41 AM

beemeupscoty,
Have you grown trees before?

The reason I ask, is I briefly looked into this awhile back. Seems weed suppression or control is but one concern. From what I was told, yearly spraying may be needed for a whole host of potential problems. And since trees are planted every 6 -8 foot apart, disease and spread is a concern. 5-7 years of time and investment is much to find out your trees are sick if no control measures are applied.

I'm no expect on the subject. But I found out that my "Plant the trees, wait 7 years, and collect the money....was a bit foolhearty." Much more go into it.

JP · February 05, 2009, 11:16:55 AM

You may do some thinning after 7 yrs but harvesting is done much later, I'm no expert but you could be looking at upwards of 25 yrs for a good harvest, 30yrs would probably be best.

...JP

BjornBee · February 05, 2009, 11:32:07 AM

My Bad! I just assumed these were Christmas trees.

Keith13 · February 05, 2009, 11:57:12 AM

Quote from: tlynn on February 04, 2009, 08:45:59 PM
Quote from: beemeupscoty on February 04, 2009, 03:20:14 PM
Hello,

Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do?

Sure. Don't use herbicides. How about a bush hog, DR Trimmer (as seen on TV!) or goats/sheep. They will clean up an area really nice. I can't come up with any rational justification for poisoning my property.

Th US govt.
I will plant trees in the US CRP program. As a condition of the contract you must spray herbicide on the land to kill the native competition. After the first year you can bushhog and control burn the property but you must spray the first year. I plan to plug up the girls for the day or 2 they spray then let em out after

Keith

HAB · February 05, 2009, 12:26:04 PM

Here in the Deep South pines are being planted everywhere. So many older farmers are planting pines instead of row crops. We will probably be joining them before very many more years. Spraying is done over massive areas here each spring. Don't like it, but don't see it ending any time soon. Then there is the annual undergrowth burn off. From January until end of March the haze and smell of burning undergrowth never ends. It's all pretty routine now. How much it harms the Bees and US? Don't know. But it can't be beneficial.

Kathyp · February 05, 2009, 12:41:02 PM

i use some herbicides on my property. like everything else, they are a tool to be used wisely. put your bees as far away from your trees as you can. don't contaminate water supplies. spray as lightly as needed to do the job...which is usually a pretty light spray. use something that breaks down quickly so that you are not contaminating the soil long term.

do your homework and you should be fine.