What to overseed a field that bees will like?

[contactme_11]

We have a couple of wild fields near our bee yard that I would like to overseed with something that our bees can harvest. Any suggestions? If I was to throw out a couple hundred pounds of sunflower seeds into the grass do you think they would grow?

[MustbeeNuts]

I planted about 50 sunflower plant, and 20 lbs of yellow clover.

[steveb]

I am not familiar with your climate zones and growning conditions but there are seed companies that can advise you.  I would recommend one of them. Out here in the Mountain West we have Granite seed that mainly deals with BLM land but I have work with their people to design pollinator mixes that survive in our climate and soil condition.  In the mid-west there is Stock Seed that also custom designs seed mixes for bees and pollinators as well as many other mixes.  You can find them online.
These type of companies sell the seed in bulk custom mixed.  On a pound for pound basis they are cheaper than regular seed companies.  They have people that understand the various needs for good seed germination and plant survival in various parts of the country.  Their advise is free.  Look them up.
Steve

[mat]

Buckwhead. Gives great honey, I've been looking for a field of buckwhead for years to bring my bees. Let me know if you have sown it.

[Michael Bush]

Huban clover.  White sweet clover.  Yellow sweet clover.  Crimson clover.  Birdsfoot trefoil.  Chicory.

[sc-bee]

>Crimson clover.

I have always been told the bloom is to deep for the tongue of the bee :?

[wisconsin_cur]

Sunflower generally needs to be buried to get a good germination rate and to keep it from being consumed by birds or rodents. 

This is both from personal experience and having a similar discussion with my local feed and seed guy.

[wildbeekeeper]

clover works well.....you can also plant borage but its pricey!

[Bee-Bop]

Red Clover & Honey Bees;
U. of Missouri, Extention Dept.

Honeybees can and should be used to increase pollination of red clover. The notion that honey bees do not pollinate red clover because it has deeper florets than other legumes is false. Pollination of the flower occurs on each visit of the bee regardless of whether it gets nectar.

Provide at least one hive of honey bees per two acres of red clover. Don't place them in the field too early or they will tend to orient to other clover. Place colonies in or near the field as soon as 5 to 10 percent of the second crop is in bloom. In Missouri, this is usually sometime in July.

Bee-Bop

[Michael Bush]

>I have always been told the bloom is to deep for the tongue of the bee

That would be RED clover.  Crimsom and Red clovers are different varieties.  Bees work Crimson clover.  They do not work Red clover.  But the Red clover will help out the bumble bees.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#planting

[sc-bee]

Thanks ;)