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Author Topic: Follow the Bloom 2016  (Read 15222 times)

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #20 on: March 18, 2016, 02:12:04 pm »
Bees are all over a neighbor's Texas mountain laurl tree that covered with blooms. 
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline crmauch

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #21 on: March 22, 2016, 06:04:45 pm »
We're having tons of blossoms on Bradford pears, a fruitless trash tree with weak branching habits that looks pretty, grows fast, dies early, but provides pollen and maybe nectar to our bees.  Plant nurseries promote the sale because they are cheap, grow quickly and in about 12 years they can be replaced.

And many places they're no longer 'fruitless'.  Originally Bradford pear was the only variety of Pyrus calleryana in this country and since it wasn't self-fruitful, produced no fruit (what fruit it produces are less than a 1/2 inch).  But others introduced other "improved" varieties so now the pears produce fruit and the tree is becoming invasive in certain areas.
Chris

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #22 on: March 22, 2016, 07:03:10 pm »
I didn't know some had become fruitful. All I know is the blooms falling off clog my pool skimmer basket and I have to empty it several times a day when my neighbor's tree is blooming.  And they have branching of about 25 or 30 degrees, which makes a very weak branch with not enough wood tissue in the branch to support the limbs once they get large, so the branches split, frequently causing splits down the main trunk.  My neighbor had 3 of them until two split down the trunks and almost took out part of his house.

Some of the other varieties are just as attractive without the weak branching, but plant nurseries continue to stock the Bradford variety and developers continue to plant them.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline yes2matt

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #23 on: March 31, 2016, 07:55:50 pm »

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #24 on: April 11, 2016, 07:50:18 pm »
I agree a Bradford Pear is a worthless tree. There are so many other far worthier trees to plant in a yard. A flowering cherry is prettier and longer lived if you want to blooming ornamental but nothing beats a nice dogwood tree in my opinion.

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #25 on: April 11, 2016, 07:51:47 pm »
My bees are all over the white clover field they are in and on some wild flowers I do not know the name of.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #26 on: April 11, 2016, 09:37:10 pm »
I saw blackberry in bloom this past weekend in north Baker County and Palmetto in the middle of Clay County. Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #27 on: April 12, 2016, 05:22:48 pm »
My bees are also moving toward the opening privet hedge.

Offline richter1978

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #28 on: April 14, 2016, 09:48:44 pm »
Odd enough, I saw some goldenrod blooming today.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #29 on: April 16, 2016, 03:13:39 am »
Queen Palm has set the buds and should bee in full bloom soon.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline herbhome

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #30 on: April 16, 2016, 03:24:48 pm »
We have cucumber and umbrella magnolia all around us in full bloom but I have no idea if it is of value to honey bees.
Neill

Offline KeyLargoBees

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #31 on: April 16, 2016, 07:05:40 pm »
Sea Grapes are popping in the Florida Keys.....been a good rain pattern should be a good spring honey year everything is staggered like they should be....will have a flow through mid June at this rate :-)
Jeff Wingate

Changes in Latitudes...Changes in Attitudes....are Florida Keys bees more laid back than the rest of the country...only time will tell!!!
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Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #32 on: April 22, 2016, 01:43:29 pm »
Bees working overtime on privet in bloom.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline herbhome

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #33 on: April 22, 2016, 11:33:25 pm »
Blackberry and raspberry started to bloom and bees are definitely on it.
Neill

Offline Peanut

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #34 on: April 24, 2016, 12:47:13 pm »
I have 6 acres of crimson and hop clover in bloom. The bees are working it hard. Tulip poplars are blooming as well. They are bringing in lots of orange pollen, not sure of the source.

Offline KeyLargoBees

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #35 on: May 04, 2016, 10:47:29 am »
Not a main source of nectar and pollen here in the keys but there are quite a few planted in yards and as landscape features along US1....caught this girl out on a walk with the dog this morning.
http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/Necklace_pod_Sophora_tomentosa.pdf
Jeff Wingate

Changes in Latitudes...Changes in Attitudes....are Florida Keys bees more laid back than the rest of the country...only time will tell!!!
piratehatapiary@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/piratehatapiary

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #36 on: May 04, 2016, 01:02:31 pm »
I wish I had a smart phone only for uploading pictures but my bees are all over the two magnolia trees right now around them

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #37 on: May 14, 2016, 10:21:29 am »
Black gum trees are a buzzing. I can hear the trees from 70' away. Gallberry are in full bloom with new buds coming my out still.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Peanut

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #38 on: May 15, 2016, 09:24:56 pm »
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) started blooming here in N. Alabama today. Each tree has thousands of blooms, both male and female trees bloom. The female blooms are twice the length of the male blooms. The photo is of a male tree.

Anyway, my bees are loving it. I have several dozen trees here on the farm.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Follow the Bloom 2016
« Reply #39 on: May 16, 2016, 07:25:34 am »
On May 15, Popcorn trees were buzzing, not as loud as the Black Gum.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin