Sunflowers

Lone · November 05, 2012, 08:18:58 AM

Hello folks,

I've posted pictures of bees on sunflowers before, but since then couldn't find sunflowers the bees liked, and also acquired a hive of stingless bees. Someone advised me where I could get organic sunflower seeds, so this is the result of the first few flowers coming out. I might take more photos when a lot more flowers emerge. There are giant russians, sunfola and sunbirds. I will see which the bees prefer.

Lone

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Joe D · November 05, 2012, 05:24:04 PM

Nice pics Lone. I planted a few sunflower seed that I got at the local dollar store, don't remember what kind they were. the bees liked them. Good luck to you and your bees.

Joe

Mek · November 08, 2012, 11:29:41 PM

Wow so pretty... gonna chuck some bird seed in the ground and see what happens... For when I get my bees.

BeeMaster2 · November 09, 2012, 01:06:36 PM

My wife planted sunflower seeds in her garden several years ago. They keep coming up year after year, in large numbers, around the perimeter where the plow does not reach. They have a small flower. Problem is that the bees don't touch them.

Kathyp · November 09, 2012, 08:26:13 PM

nice picture! i planted some this year also. not organic, but different kinds. i had some old seeds that i just tossed out. don't know what they were and i got several others at the store.
some the bees really liked and some they didn't seem to touch. now i wish i knew what i had planted. next year i'll keep better track.

BGhoney · January 27, 2013, 09:47:21 PM

I've been planted lemon queen sunflower they have lots of blooms and the bees love them..

Vance G · January 27, 2013, 11:31:23 PM

Even if the bees won't use them, I leave some around because the migrating chickadees sure love them. As an animal hoarder, I sure wish i could have some of those little green bees on my sunflowers!

Lone · January 28, 2013, 08:14:00 AM

I think the sunbird and the giant russians are the best. The sunbird has plenty of little side flowers which are nice for bees if not for seeds. The giant russians are just impressive and giant. Kathy, you will have to put a red ribbon around the plants that attracted bees. Hopefully I won't have to buy seeds again. I collected about 2 buckets of seeds albeit mostly chook feed. What are chickadees, Vance? I do hope you'd take off your green glasses. Those are black stingless bees not green ones 8-) They don't have a large foraging range, which is why I wanted to plant something to boost them up.

Lone

Lone · January 28, 2013, 10:06:50 AM

BG, I just looked up the lemon queen. Now they are beautiful. I might have to go back to buying seeds! It looks like you can get them in australia all right.

I have gourds in the garden beds at the moment. I might plant just a few sunflower now or wait till the gourds are finished.

Lone

tefer2 · January 28, 2013, 12:15:42 PM

I planted some a few years ago. When all those birds got done eating the seeds, they moved on over to snacking on my bees. The next spring found me pulling them out of the ground.

Vance G · January 28, 2013, 12:33:11 PM

Lone, Chickadees are small black and white arborial birds that both reside here and north of here. In the fall, they migrate thru and like the sunflower seeds to refuel. My apologies to your little black bees, I said I was a hoarder and would like some of them too. This year I am putting up nesting material for the several species of solitary bees and wasps that frequent my small flower gardens. The leaf cutters riddle my roses, especially a climber they seem to favor. Doesn't seem to hurt the rose all that much.