Squash Pollination

[Kris^]

A neighbor of mine down the road has asked if I would place a few hives at her 2 acre squash field.  It will be pesticide free, and is bordered by some fallow fields and forest, with other small farms in  the area.  I can get a price in keeping with the state average.  My question is, how are squash blossoms as a source of nectar for honey?  I read conflicting reports on the net.  Will they also forage the nearby fields and forests if they're short of nectar?

-- Kris

[Michael Bush]

>A neighbor of mine down the road has asked if I would place a few hives at her 2 acre squash field. It will be pesticide free, and is bordered by some fallow fields and forest, with other small farms in the area. I can get a price in keeping with the state average. My question is, how are squash blossoms as a source of nectar for honey? I read conflicting reports on the net.

I haven't any experience with trying get nectar from them.  I've had squash in garden when I had bees and the bees seemed to pollinate them.

> Will they also forage the nearby fields and forests if they're short of nectar?

They will forage the surrounding 8,000 acres regardless.  What kind of forests?  Mixed hardwood forests usually provide quite a bit of nectar.  Especially if you have locusts, basswoods, gums, tuplip poplar etc.

Pine forests don't provide much except from the weeds and undergrowth.

[TwT]

here's a article about pollinating squash if you havent already read this one

http://www.beeculture.com/content/pollination_handbook/pumpkin.html

[Summerbee]

I am growing a couple rows of crookneck squash in my vegatable patch.. I've seen a few honeybees but mostly yellow jackets, oddly enough.  I thought this was unusual; but maybe the yellow jackets are just after the water from my sprinkling system?  Or maybe I'm not looking hard enough... I ususally look around 8:30 am.  The bees are all over the pole beans, though.

[livetrappingbymatt]

set up a couple of hives at the request of a farmer on his pumpkin patch. best place i had hives on. bees loved the blossums and worked every thing on the place. my 2 cents GO FOR IT!
bob

[randydrivesabus]

i grow squash and pumpkins that i sell at the farmers market. and melons. this is one of the reasons i decided to get bees. the pollination will produce more squash, pumpkins, and melons.

[Kirk-o]

Hey Buddy

I don't know about nectar but I put My Bees in the Urban garden Urban orchard hear in L A close to Dodger Stadium.I read some where that a cucumber and squash need to be visited by a pollinator at least six times
for everything to click.When I put my bees in the garden hear everything especially the cucumbers and pumpkins took off
bang zoomm to the moonnnnnnnnnnn
kirko