Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Pets without Feathers => Topic started by: wolverine on August 04, 2010, 18:17
-
Does anyone keep bees on an alotment if so is there much care involved or do they look after themselves food and water wise?
-
I don't keep them myself but there's quite a bit to know about pests and diseases to start with.
Have a look at this thread as it will give you some useful links to research up from
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=56501.0
-
I don't have them yet but in preparation for setting up the 2 hives I have permission for I have just done a beginners course with my local beekeeping association.
There is a lot involved in keeping bees. They do appreciate a nearby water source but you don't have to give them water. In terms of feeding, however, you will have to manage the hive and provide food if necessary (definitely in preparation for winter and then the new year).
Keeping bees is definitely more onvolved than keeping hens, for example, and your first step (after getting permission to keep bees in the first place) should definitely be getting in touch with/joining your local beekepping association (at the very least they should be affiliated to the national association and through them you would get public liability insurance).
If you can't get on a course you should try to make contact with an experienced local keeper who can 'mentor' you in setting up and developing your hive(s).
-
They are not as simple to look after as anyone might think and some allotment authorities don't allow them, so check with yours first. Most who do allow them insist on a 6 ft high fence around the hives to make the bees gain height before whizzing across the allotment site and banging in to gardeners.
A bee course is a must and allotment authorities usually insist on it. there is a lot of useful information here:
http://www.nsalg.org.uk/uploads/article459/Bees.pdf
-
we are 1st year bee keepers and def agree with the advice to join your local association and get on a course :) it is fascinating, nervewracking, intriguing, addictive, worrying (sooo many decisions and never only one right answer :blink: ) and lots of fun :D
go for it if you can but get as much knowledge and support before launch
good luck :nowink:
-
In some ways very easy to keep in others, (like most women) you never know what they are upto ::) ;) :D