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Offline FloridaGardener

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Follow the Bloom - 2023
« on: February 09, 2023, 07:00:43 pm »
Warm winter except for 2 spots of record cold temps = busy bees and hives are still packed with honey.  Unusually warm temps could mean  hurricanes since the Gulf gets so warm by summer.

Carolina Laurel (nectar source) popped open this week.  Azaleas (no nectar) and saucer magnolia have been blossoming since late January.

Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2023, 04:16:45 pm »
I think my maples are blooming now.  I don't have one on my property and I haven't been out in a couple of days, but I'm seeing real looking pollen coming in, and the bees seem to be leaving the bird feeder alone. 
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Offline Donovan J

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2023, 02:57:37 pm »
Manzanita just opened here in California. Lots of other plants in bloom and the bees are busy collecting pollen and some nectar from the manzanita

Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2023, 12:27:27 am »
Not sure the type of pollen but my two hives have been bringing pollen in the last few warm spells here in NE Oklahoma
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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2023, 08:29:34 pm »
Japanese Cherry is blooming here, as well as the lawn weed henbit which provides red pollen.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2023, 06:58:39 am »
9" of snow here... bitter cold and wind.  Hard to picture blooms...
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Offline G3farms

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2023, 08:26:55 am »
Japanese Cherry, American Elm, red maples, dandelions, daffodils

too rainy to see hen bit or dead nettle for me, just mud.   
those hot bees will have you steppin and a fetchin like your heads on fire and your keister is a catchin!!!

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Offline .30WCF

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2023, 09:00:15 am »
Walked around the yard this morning.

Not sure what this bush it, but it?s right beside the porch and all these will open
Into little blooms soon. I don?t ever see much activity on it though.


Dandy Lion


Japanese Maple or something. Pink flowers and purple leaves.


Plumb tree


Peach tree


Nothing in the pears or apples yet.


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Offline .30WCF

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2023, 09:04:13 am »
Clover


Maple is starting to pop out pretty good.



Bradford Pear



Some kind of ground cover weed.



I forget what. Put these bulbs out with the kids a couple years ago.



Daffodils



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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2023, 01:00:00 pm »
I can't believe how much is blooming out in the piedmont already!  We've only got daffodils and maples.  Just FYI, first picture reply #8, my botany isn't very good, but I really don't think that is clover.  I don't know what it is, but it's not clover. 
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Offline .30WCF

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2023, 06:42:48 pm »
Yeah, I?m not sure what it is, but for some reason that?s what I typed. It grows in the same area that all the clover will come up in the summer. It must like the same conditions, because this comes up first then the clover takes over the whole area.


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Offline .30WCF

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2023, 06:47:04 pm »



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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2023, 06:46:21 am »
26 F this morning... no blooms.
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Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2023, 11:32:32 pm »
60s today, no blooms yet. 75 tomorrow then back to low 50s and rainy most of the week
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Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2023, 07:36:09 pm »
Noticed a few daffodils today's as well as Bradford pear trees starting to bloom. Some of the maple trees appear to be starting to leaf out as well, the buds are opening on a few trees. Only 40s today and tomorrow then moving back to 50s+ for the foreseeable forecast.
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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2023, 09:04:46 pm »
All the wild pear trees are blooming. They get visited by the bees sometimes, but they spread a lot and have wicked thorns.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #16 on: February 24, 2023, 06:46:35 am »
2 F (-17 C) this morning.  12 mph wind.  No blooms.
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Offline cao

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2023, 10:47:23 am »
Yesterday I noticed that the maple trees are blooming.  I guess it is officially the start of te beekeeping season here.  Easter flowers and henbit are blooming also.

Offline KD4MOJ

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #18 on: February 27, 2023, 02:44:55 pm »
2 F (-17 C) this morning.  12 mph wind.  No blooms.
Time move south! :-)


Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #19 on: February 27, 2023, 04:02:31 pm »
The weather is what keeps those Californians from moving here...
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Offline KD4MOJ

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #20 on: February 27, 2023, 05:39:53 pm »
The weather is what keeps those Californians from moving here...
So true!

Hate to say for those folks up north but it's currently 82?F here in the Florida panhandle...

...DOUG

Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #21 on: February 28, 2023, 09:00:31 pm »
Trees are leafing out quite a bit today, buds are opening on them


This young guy (almost 6 months old now) met the bees this afternoon, he was a little too friendly at the hive entrance and received "instruction" on proper hive entrance etiquette. Hopefully he learned.
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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #22 on: March 03, 2023, 05:23:04 pm »
Nellie R Stevens Holly is blooming here.

Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #23 on: March 04, 2023, 07:03:50 pm »
Wild cherries and pears are blooming. 
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #24 on: March 04, 2023, 11:12:37 pm »
Same here..

Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #25 on: March 23, 2023, 10:18:00 pm »
Redbud trees are happily blooming and dandelions are starting to pop. Not in my yard of course, the sheep are eating the down, but in neighbors yards haha.
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #26 on: March 23, 2023, 10:33:39 pm »
Redbud trees are happily blooming and dandelions are starting to pop. Not in my yard of course, the sheep are eating the down, but in neighbors yards haha.
Off-topic, but what kind of sheep do you have, Occam?
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Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #27 on: March 24, 2023, 09:40:13 am »
Redbud trees are happily blooming and dandelions are starting to pop. Not in my yard of course, the sheep are eating the down, but in neighbors yards haha.
Off-topic, but what kind of sheep do you have, Occam?

I have shetlands, 3 for now. Should be lambing in a few weeks
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #28 on: March 24, 2023, 11:50:21 am »
Redbud trees are happily blooming and dandelions are starting to pop. Not in my yard of course, the sheep are eating the down, but in neighbors yards haha.
Off-topic, but what kind of sheep do you have, Occam?

I have shetlands, 3 for now. Should be lambing in a few weeks
My sister is interested in perhaps getting a fiber animal, would you be willing to answer some questions about your sheep?  I have a thread on fiber animals going in the farming section, if you don't mind moving down there to discuss them further.   
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
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Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #29 on: March 24, 2023, 12:12:22 pm »
You bet, I'll head over there
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #30 on: April 28, 2023, 09:18:51 pm »
The blackberries are starting!  My first big flow of the year!  :happy:
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #31 on: April 29, 2023, 06:31:47 am »
Love the blackberry flow!

Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #32 on: April 30, 2023, 03:37:45 pm »
Magnolia Virginia (Bay magnolias) and Persea Palustris (swamp bay)  have been blooming for a couple of weeks.  The air smells like roses.  Our main flow has begun with the addition of privet, saw palmetto, and  Richardia Scabrosa (mexican clover) is beginning to flower on the ground. 

This winter has been too dry, and the 17 degree cold snap last winter affected the early carolina laurel, citrus trees, and lemon verbena hedges.  Many citrus were lost, and if saved, only with about 25% of their canopies.  Bees seem slow to build up.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #33 on: May 01, 2023, 07:12:36 am »
Frost yesterday morning...
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Offline .30WCF

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #34 on: May 02, 2023, 11:26:34 pm »
80*


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Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #35 on: May 03, 2023, 11:32:12 am »
Mid 80s here, a spike near 90 by the weekend
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #36 on: May 03, 2023, 04:03:21 pm »
57 degrees this morning, Tupelo, Gallberry and Palmetto all in bloom at the same time here and the Chinese Tallow is getting ready to bloom. Usually they each have their own bloom times. I?m hoping that they each spread out when individual plants bloom or we are going to have Avery short flow season.
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Offline Occam

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #37 on: May 15, 2023, 12:33:37 am »
Catalpa trees ate in bloom like crazy right now. Mulberries are starting to ripen, the squirrels and birds are enjoying them immensely. Rough sumac buds have started and should be opening in another few days to a week.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #38 on: May 15, 2023, 08:45:36 am »
Occam,
I also have Mulberry trees. I put light tinfoil pan?s hanging from a string in the trees. It really helps keep the birds out of them. I had lots of berries this year and I was able to eat as much as I wanted every time I went out to pick berries. Our mulberries are done now.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #39 on: May 29, 2023, 10:03:18 am »
Tallow Tree (Popcorn) has its long yellow panicles all out.  The bees are crawling on them, looking for open florets. After a couple hot weeks in April we had a cooler May and stayed about 80-85 daytime and 70 at night.  But now comes the heat until October.

Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #40 on: September 27, 2023, 10:27:11 pm »
Oy, we really dropped the ball on this thread this year.  :sad:
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #41 on: September 27, 2023, 11:28:05 pm »
Reagan, I will contribute, goldenrod is blooming here.  :grin:

Offline The15thMember

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #42 on: September 28, 2023, 12:08:47 am »
We are having a very nice fall bloom.  Not enough to get the bees drawing or anything, but they are happy and easy to work, which is nice.  We have goldenrod as well, along with native sunflowers and various other asters. 
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #43 on: September 28, 2023, 08:28:46 am »
I have Spanish Needle in full bloom here and Golden Rod is just starting.
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Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Follow the Bloom - 2023
« Reply #44 on: October 31, 2023, 11:28:34 pm »
I'll pitch in with a sum-up for NW Florida Panhandle - Okaloosa/Walton Counties.

At the start of the year, a hard freeze down to 17 degrees killed most of the citrus trees, unless gardeners added heavy blanketing. Locally we lost mature grapefruit trees, sweet oranges, and even a "Florida King" peach tree. Persimmons and Loquats were fine.  Many other plants went to the ground for the first time in decades.

The Carolina Laurel - usually an early starter in late Feb - put on a poor showing with hardly any flowering.  I made up nucs first week of March as most beeks here do - when significant amounts of drone brood is capped/emerging.  Third week of March we had a long, tough cold snap.  Drone brood was pulled everywhere. Not sure if they couldn't cover it or were just worried about stores with the onset of another 'winter.'  They did all have enough stores and I was careful to insulate the nucs.  But I had only 40% success on the nucs, whereas in five prior years have had over 75% success with all queening efforts. 

The main flow was light. Everything I saw had a light proportion of bloom compared to prior years. All year long was a drought.  Many of the manmade lakes here are almost empty.  Every beek I have talked to said it was an awful year for honey.  Some beeks had complete absconds with no evidence of cause in the "autopsy". 

We usually have a long summer dearth beginning when the sabal palms stop putting out inflorescenses in early July.  Our 2000-acre community has many hundreds of sabal palms.  Oddly, this year the sabals continued producing new fronds of nectar-laden florets even until the last week of August.  I couldn't believe it was real and took photos to document the dates.  Perhaps the cold delayed their bloom.  As a result, there wasn't a real dearth in summer...the bees kept putzing around on the sabal until the liriope, mexican clover, and spanish needle.  It wasn't much, but the bees weren't sulking on the hot landing board.

Of course, now, in October, goldenrod and other autum asters are everywhere.  Temps have been 70-85 and as November begins, the temps are dropping to 65 daytime. The bees have stores, but they're testy, as if they weren't bringing in enough.  The are fussy and robby, quick to pick on an open hive. My larger colonies robbed and killed a small swarm I picked & brought back on up Oct 10. 

Never before have I seen them forage in October on Chinese Lacebark Elm florets.  There is an audible buzz in  the lacebark elms when the evening sun warms up the tiny bracts. I was amazed an took photos.  The ground is dry, dry.  Mature azealeas are withering.  But the sasanqua camellias have popped open this week and are providing pollen and some nectar also.

 

anything