Early plants for bees?

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Becky-Lou

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Early plants for bees?
« on: May 21, 2013, 20:10 »
I was watching the bees bumbling around my plot the other week and noticed there was absolutely nothing for them to eat.  Does anyone know of any early flowering plants which I could put in the allotment to give them a spring meal?  Any ideas gratefully received!

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maxibo

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2013, 20:25 »
Have you got anything in at the moment that you could let 'go to flower'? I was at our plot at the weekend and the bees were having a great time on some of our PSB that has now gone to flower so we have left some in for them.  I do shake one of those wildflower seed mixes on spare areas.  Obviously that won't help the bees now, I know.  Hopefully though, the runner beans will be going in soon and there will be lots of lovely flowers for them! :)

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sunshineband

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2013, 20:56 »
Forget me knots are providing plenty for the bees right now, as are borage flowers and apple blossom  :D
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shoozie

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2013, 20:59 »
Willow gives them an early spring feed

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starry

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2013, 21:19 »
I left my rubbishy brussels to the pigeons and now they have gone to flower and the bees were loving them so I have left them to it  :)
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Becky-Lou

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2013, 19:30 »
Thanks everyone, that's given me a few ideas.  I think I'm a bit too tidy-best to leave those winter veg to go to flower and seed!

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blackberryjam

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2013, 21:08 »
I was watching the bees bumbling around my plot the other week and noticed there was absolutely nothing for them to eat.  Does anyone know of any early flowering plants which I could put in the allotment to give them a spring meal?  Any ideas gratefully received!


I've planted some cornflowers and teasal, to encourage the bees to my plot. Cornflowers are in flower now. :)
 

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shokkyy

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2013, 23:20 »
Bees in my garden have been going nuts for the apple, pear, cherry and quince blossoms, but their all-time favourite this time of year seems to be the horse chestnut flowers. The aquilegias are out now though, and they really like those too.

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al78

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2013, 23:26 »
Forget me knots are providing plenty for the bees right now, as are borage flowers and apple blossom  :D

Borage? I sowed some on my plot a month ago and it is just coming up, nowhere near the flowering stage.

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Trillium

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Re: Early plants for bees?
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2013, 04:06 »
The bees were very busy with snowdrops which are always the first to appear for my area, then crocus. Then the long-blooming lungwort I let seed itself everywhere is keeping them extra busy. Normally I hate having lungwort everywhere, including the lawn, but the bees are hungry and desperate so I leave them. Same with good old dandelions - everything has its use even if we don't like it.


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