Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => GARDENING AROUND THE HOUSE => Topic started by: Peanut on April 25, 2016, 04:50:40 pm

Title: Borage
Post by: Peanut on April 25, 2016, 04:50:40 pm
I just got 2lbs of borage seed. Before the rain the other night I ran a gang disk over about an acre with no angle on the disks. I just wanted to crack the sod open. Anyone have tips on borage? How to sow etc. Thanks in advance.  :smile:
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: Peanut on April 28, 2016, 12:20:28 am
No one spoke up so I had to go with what I could find on the net. I sowed 1.6 pounds on about 2 acres. The other .4lbs I sowed in a 10ft X 50ft strip between my hives. I also hand spread 200lbs of crushed volcanic rock on top of the seed and ran the gang disk over both spots. Supposed to rain in the next 24hrs, fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: OldMech on April 28, 2016, 12:53:06 am
Sorry, didnt see the post!!!   I spread a mixed seed with Borage, Sainfoin, Crimson clover, White clover and a smattering of buckwheat over about six acres..   I sprayed the field with roundup in the fall, disked in the spring and then used a spreader to broadcast the seed. It looked fair to midling last year, this will be the second year, so we will see if it looks any better in a few weeks.
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: GSF on April 28, 2016, 03:11:45 pm
I'm watching the both of yall through the cracks. I bought 5 acres across the road, then bought a tractor, (sigh). My goal is to plant as much bee forage as possible.
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: Peanut on April 30, 2016, 01:36:10 am
For this year I already have 6 acres of crimson and hop clover in bloom, I took this photo about 10 days ago. The bees are eating it up! Borage is an annual that blooms for 3 months. I wanted about 2 acres of blooms for the in between times. This afternoon I got about 2 inches of rain. Hopefully the germination rate will be high on the seed I've sown. :smile:
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: Peanut on April 30, 2016, 01:44:03 am
Sorry, didnt see the post!!!   I spread a mixed seed with Borage, Sainfoin, Crimson clover, White clover and a smattering of buckwheat over about six acres..   I sprayed the field with roundup in the fall, disked in the spring and then used a spreader to broadcast the seed. It looked fair to midling last year, this will be the second year, so we will see if it looks any better in a few weeks.

Post a pic when it comes up... lets see how it looks.  :smile:
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: GSF on May 03, 2016, 08:12:04 am
Is it too late to plant borage around here?
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: Geoff on May 06, 2016, 08:03:15 pm

   Planted out about 5 or 6 seedlings of borage in the garden about 7 years ago Peanut and now have self sown borage growing through out . Self seeds so easily that the cook goes off because it pops up everywhere amongst her roses and bulbs. It does not seem to need a good seed bed as it germinates in cracks along a concrete path even and the bees really go for it.
    Good luck with your plantings.
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: GSF on May 17, 2016, 10:06:49 am
Hey Peanut,(or anyone) How's the borage coming along? I planted purple tansy, buckwheat, & borage. I planted the borage yesterday. Probably a little late but what the heck?

We bought 5 acres across the road from us, then it took me a while to decide to buy a tractor, then find one, so I'm a little behind. I had this field limed around the Feb mark. My buckwheat looks pretty pale, or light greenish/yellowish. The volunteer buckwheat that came up in the garden looks healthy & vibrant. I don't know how the lime will affect the tansy and borage.
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: Jim134 on May 17, 2016, 10:39:21 am
Trees will put out more forage For bees. Then any ground crop.

           BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: Borage
Post by: Peanut on July 03, 2016, 11:01:10 pm
My borage was a bust! A severe drought, a few plants bloomed beside my hives because I watered them. The 2 acres died, not a single plant survived.

I have even bigger problems. Both my creeks down in the bottoms are bone dry. This has not happened in my lifetime. My grandfather said it happened in 1954. My cow pond is spring fed, there is a small trickle of water coming out of the spillway pipe. If that stops I?ll have to haul all the cows to the sale barn? Really bad news, me and hundreds of other farmers will be dumping cows. The prices will fall through the floor.

Title: Re: Borage
Post by: GSF on July 05, 2016, 02:48:28 pm
Hate to hear that peanut. Hopefully things will turn around soon. I use to get so ticked off. We'd be in a drought or dry spell but the thunder or the lack of electricity would keep me awake. Not a drop of rain.