Am I going to lose the Tulip Poplar flow?

chemlight · May 05, 2009, 08:27:44 AM

The tulip poplars are in prime bloom now but it is raining everyday. The blossoms are being knocked off the trees and I'm sure what's left is full of water. Am I worrying over nothing or is this a valid concern? :?

jimmyo · May 05, 2009, 09:21:33 AM

I'm sorry to say that it doesn't look good. We have tulip poplar here but not enough for a flow that I'm aware of. We do have locust trees and we can have the same problem. or biggest flow in the spring is from the black locust bloom. If the weather is good we have a great flow. Sometimes it gets cold and wet during locust bloom and we get almost nothing.
What flow is next in your part of the US?
Jim

Doby45 · May 05, 2009, 10:43:03 AM

In GA we also have Blackberry and clover going strong right now..

sc-bee · May 05, 2009, 03:08:35 PM

Hopefully the blooming is scattered from tree to tree. I have some that bloom a couple of weeks earlier than others.

We are having a bit of rain also. We want it when we ain't got it and don't when we do :-D! I feel your pain on the Popular bloom.

tillie · May 05, 2009, 03:40:01 PM

There's a lot blooming in GA right now - I'm not worried about the tulip poplar - we'll get honey - it's always a combination of things anyway. My first year I didn't get my bees until the middle of the tulip poplar flow and still got honey.

Linda T in Atlanta, where thankfully it keeps raining!

doak · May 05, 2009, 07:28:17 PM

Tulip Popular have a 3 to 4 week stretch. Don't worry "bee" happy.
Lots other stuff around.

This re minds me of a geographical story.

From the Atlantic to the Mississippi, from Florida into Canada.
Is the largest forest of its kind in the world.
Did you know that? :)doak

Doby45 · May 05, 2009, 09:01:23 PM

My prayer is to have my hives built up enough on the flow down here and then take them up to Murphy, NC for the Sourwood flow first week of June.

Bee Happy · May 05, 2009, 10:29:35 PM

I can't speak about tulip poplar specifically, but there's a few plants that if the flowers are plucked or the fruit fails to set or go to seed they keep issuing blooms (I think it's string beans, for example, that keep producing as long as you pick them)

chemlight · May 05, 2009, 10:47:21 PM

Thanks for the replies. I am definately thankful for the rain. (my garden is truly loving it!) I got my bees last year after the poplar flow and have been waiting for it all winter. lad to hear it goes on for a couple of weeks.

Checked in on the girls and still not seeing much honey in my supers but at least thiers is full.

hankdog1 · May 05, 2009, 11:07:12 PM

Well honestly Poplar flow is good to overwinter bees on but it stinks if your trying to sell it where it's so dark with a rather strong taste. For the life of me though i don't know why it doesn't sell i love me some poplar honey. Nothing wrong with butter biskets and some poplar honey good stuff.

TwT · May 05, 2009, 11:21:01 PM

Quote from: hankdog1 on May 05, 2009, 11:07:12 PM
Well honestly Poplar flow is good to overwinter bees on but it stinks if your trying to sell it where it's so dark with a rather strong taste. For the life of me though i don't know why it doesn't sell i love me some poplar honey. Nothing wrong with butter biskets and some poplar honey good stuff.

tulip polar stinks and good for overwintering????? sure your not talking about aster or goldenrod which blooms in the fall, tulip polar honey is some of the best honey out there compared to clover, it smells sweet and is a medium dark honey but when you hold the jar up to the light you will see it is just dark red, golden rod and aster does stink and is real dark plus has a strong taste which some people love but most don't.

indypartridge · May 06, 2009, 09:09:49 AM

Quote from: TwT on May 05, 2009, 11:21:01 PM
... tulip polar honey is some of the best honey out there...

Amen! Preach it Brother Ted!

hankdog1 · May 06, 2009, 03:15:03 PM

Quote from: TwT on May 05, 2009, 11:21:01 PM
Quote from: hankdog1 on May 05, 2009, 11:07:12 PM
Well honestly Poplar flow is good to overwinter bees on but it stinks if your trying to sell it where it's so dark with a rather strong taste. For the life of me though i don't know why it doesn't sell i love me some poplar honey. Nothing wrong with butter biskets and some poplar honey good stuff.

tulip polar stinks and good for overwintering????? sure your not talking about aster or goldenrod which blooms in the fall, tulip polar honey is some of the best honey out there compared to clover, it smells sweet and is a medium dark honey but when you hold the jar up to the light you will see it is just dark red, golden rod and aster does stink and is real dark plus has a strong taste which some people love but most don't.

Nah i wasn't reffering to how it smelled as much as how most people hate to buy it. Yeah i've had golden rod honey before and until it gets ripe it will almost knock you down when you open the hive.

TwT · May 06, 2009, 07:55:11 PM

tulip poplar is some of the best honey out there, that what most I sell to want is that and not clover or wild flower, your tulip poplar must be different than what around here..... it some of the best honey made!!!!

doak · May 06, 2009, 08:33:11 PM

I haven't had any body complain about my dark Honey.
I have had them come back for more. :roll: :)doak

sc-bee · May 07, 2009, 12:49:41 AM

Hankdog ---- send me your Tulip popular. Of course postage paid would be nice
:-D!