2015 game plan

10framer · December 31, 2014, 12:10:13 PM

steve, when does it come into bloom? how long do you leave them on it? do you get a surplus or does it just get them kick started? depending on the timing i might.

asprince · December 31, 2014, 07:09:44 PM

They will make tons of beautiful light honey but it crystallizes really fast. They will draw some beautiful white comb. With the a abundance of food the queen will go into high gear. It will probably start blooming in late February and bloom for 4 to 6 weeks.

Steve

sc-bee · December 31, 2014, 10:33:09 PM

There is an Ag company in Bowersville Ga promoting canola. I sent them an e-mail and asked if they knew of anyone near me growing any. They immediately replied and told me where some was a little over an hour away. I may try and run it down. Long drive but need a jump start for what I have left.
4-6 week bloom that would be nice!

asprince · January 01, 2015, 09:16:04 PM

You have to watch them close on canola. They will be bringing in nectar and pollen so fast the queen can run out of space to lay and they will swarm. I work mine weekly.

Steve

sc-bee · January 01, 2015, 10:00:45 PM

Quote from: asprince on January 01, 2015, 09:16:04 PM
You have to watch them close on canola. They will be bringing in nectar and pollen so fast the queen can run out of space to lay and they will swarm. I work mine weekly.

Steve

About all I have left is nucs. Weekly trip if it works out is what I was thinking. It certainly would get me in front of the game.

asprince · January 01, 2015, 10:27:04 PM

When you put them on Canola go ahead and put them in a 10 frame box.

Steve

sc-bee · January 02, 2015, 12:12:52 AM

Quote from: asprince on January 01, 2015, 10:27:04 PM
When you put them on Canola go ahead and put them in a 10 frame box.

Steve

I was gonna stack a five on top. Thought the five might build up quicker? You think a ten will be better?

Monie · January 02, 2015, 10:39:54 PM

2015 plan is to grow strong, healthy hives. :)

Richard M · January 03, 2015, 01:46:48 AM

Well it's 2015 now, so in 3 weeks or so, extract our first batch of honey from our new hives (1 yr old), then try em out on the Leatherwood.

http://www.tasmanianarboretum.org.au/leatherwood.shtml

Secondly, get my incognito/hidden hives set up in my garage.

BeeMaster2 · January 03, 2015, 08:14:47 AM

Quote from: Richard M on January 03, 2015, 01:46:48 AM
Well it's 2015 now, so in 3 weeks or so, extract our first batch of honey from our new hives (1 yr old), then try em out on the Leatherwood.

http://www.tasmanianarboretum.org.au/leatherwood.shtml

Secondly, get my incognito/hidden hives set up in my garage.

Sounds like you should make that one an observation hive. If you do you will not regret it.
Jim

Richard M · January 04, 2015, 08:10:10 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 03, 2015, 08:14:47 AM
Quote from: Richard M on January 03, 2015, 01:46:48 AM
Well it's 2015 now, so in 3 weeks or so, extract our first batch of honey from our new hives (1 yr old), then try em out on the Leatherwood.

http://www.tasmanianarboretum.org.au/leatherwood.shtml

Secondly, get my incognito/hidden hives set up in my garage.
Sounds like you should make that one an observation hive. If you do you will not regret it.
Jim

I've thought about it.

Project for the June-July when it's cold and wet and miserable maybe.

BeeMaster2 · January 04, 2015, 07:52:46 PM

Richard,
There is a really good set of plans for a 4 frame turnstile type of observation hive on Beemaster. I recommend that you do as I did and widen the frame to 8 frame. I made mine out of all walnut.
Jim

chux · January 05, 2015, 02:31:18 PM

I went into my second winter with 19 hives. All are still alive right now. Hoping at least 15 make it to spring. I am getting a delivery of several hundred foundation less frames from kelley, tomorrow. Time to start building boxes and frames. Right now most hives are a single deep and medium. I hope to build all to double deep, with 2 mediums per hive this year. Also planning on doing weak splits in july, to let all hives requeen. Go into winter with young queens, after a brood break. I will feed the nucs with established queens, hoping they build up in time for winter. I already have a few cutouts lined up for april. Hoping to get several swarm calls. May get up to 40 or 50 hives this year. Now I just need more room for hives.

10framer · January 05, 2015, 03:26:31 PM

chux, that's part of what holds me back. i can make the increases but finding good places to put the bees is kind of tough. i've been considering buying small tracts of crappy land just to be able to know i have beeyards.

chux · January 06, 2015, 09:48:40 AM

I have my hives spread out in 6 different locations. Each is within about 10 minutes of the house, but none of these locations can hold more hives. I want a few yards where I can put at least 10 hives. I do have a couple of options with a local farmer. Problem is not only worrying about pesticide use. Bears. Lots of them around here. Maybe you can get a farmer in the area to let you use the edge of a field. I highly suggest getting near cotton. I had cotton less than half a mile from hives this year. Really good honey into the summer.

asprince · January 06, 2015, 02:23:10 PM

10framr. If you need places to keep bees I have more places than I have bees in the Fort Valley area.

Steve

10framer · January 06, 2015, 06:23:51 PM

steve, i'm looking to go north of the fall line mostly. i want to get away from row crops and closer to clover and tulip poplars.
if you have some spots like that i might be interested when i start making splits.