[roadkillbobb]

A friend of mine upstate has been experiencing no bees in the hive come springtime, for several years, from the research and feedback he has gotten, the bees during the winter go on a death flight and freeze, apparently but not officially confirmed is the GMO crops are making the bees crazy and they go for winter flights and die, about 6 years ago on long island during the winter I checked a hive with snow on the ground and it looked like a shotgun blast of bees out of the hive, some were still alive on the snow, but soon died...
my friend this past winter lost 80% of his hives, I think he had around 20...
is anyone else experiencing this?..
its not mites, as the hive is empty..no dead bees in the bottom..

 

[Gypsi]

mine are fine. Bees with mites that are dying will leave the hive to die, but I don't know.

 

[roadkillbobb]

mine are fine. Bees with mites that are dying will leave the hive to die, but I don't know.

when I opened my hive in the spring there were no bees. not even rotted bodies and the same for the hives of my friend, it was strange that there was nothing..and it wasnt the time of year for swarming and all the hives were treated with oxilic acid just before winter for mites...im at a loss other than the gmo explanation...and thats just a guess...

 

[Gypsi]

Also mystified. If I run across anything I will post it

 

[roadkillbobb]

I have to ask my friend if he has any official study or reference linking the gmos to winter bee flight...ill do some looking myself..if i find anything ill also post it..did you ever get milkweed to grow?..I believe now the NRCS has incentives to plant and grow milk weed for the monarch butterflies...

 

[Gypsi]

I have to ask my friend if he has any official study or reference linking the gmos to winter bee flight...ill do some looking myself..if i find anything ill also post it..did you ever get milkweed to grow?..I believe now the NRCS has incentives to plant and grow milk weed for the monarch butterflies...

I have not been able to get seeds to germinate. I will try again with vermiculite and do a winter cold stratification. Because I don't get a real winter some seeds are hard starters. But I keep all seeds in my refrigerator so I can re-try. I don't know how to get incentives, I'm working on some Antelope Horn or Viridis milkweed roots I dug up in my friend's pasture to see if I can get them to sprout. I hardened off first. But we are in severe drought here

 

[roadkillbobb]

I have not been able to get seeds to germinate. I will try again with vermiculite and do a winter cold stratification. Because I don't get a real winter some seeds are hard starters. But I keep all seeds in my refrigerator so I can re-try. I don't know how to get incentives, I'm working on some Antelope Horn or Viridis milkweed roots I dug up in my friend's pasture to see if I can get them to sprout. I hardened off first. But we are in severe drought here

if you goto this link and search you can find all kinds of good stuff...mostly its for large parcel land, but im not sure, it can hurt to search for anything butterfly or bee related they will pay you to do on your land..

| Natural Resources Conservation Service

www.nrcs.usda.gov

 

[Wil]

I stuck all my Milkweed seeds in the frig for the winter and planted them in the Spring. Not one came up. They weren't cheap either. Of course, I had the same problem with the Sunflower seeds I bought. I can grow weeds like crazy though.

 

[roadkillbobb]

I stuck all my Milkweed seeds in the frig for the winter and planted them in the Spring. Not one came up. They weren't cheap either. Of course, I had the same problem with the Sunflower seeds I bought. I can grow weeds like crazy though.

LOL..I hear you on the weeds.they seem to grow when anything you plant on purpose does not..Im blessed I guess with fields of milkweed growing just like its name, they are all over the place....
did you try starting the seed inside in potting soil and then transplanting the plants outside?..and does milkweed normally grow in your redion..some plants just dont grow where they werent native..EXCEPT the dam weeds..they grow everywhere they arent suppose to..lol..another very bee friendly plant is golden rod with the yellow flowers...and that grows in my area like a weed also..

 

[Wil]

LOL..I hear you on the weeds.they seem to grow when anything you plant on purpose does not..Im blessed I guess with fields of milkweed growing just like its name, they are all over the place....
did you try starting the seed inside in potting soil and then transplanting the plants outside?..and does milkweed normally grow in your redion..some plants just dont grow where they werent native..EXCEPT the dam weeds..they grow everywhere they arent suppose to..lol..another very bee friendly plant is golden rod with the yellow flowers...and that grows in my area like a weed also..

Good thing for me,I have Golden Rod growing on my place and around the area also.It's just now starting to get some yellow.
I didn't try to plant the Milkweed seeds in a pot prior to putting them out in the Spring. I think I should have though. A beekeeper about a mile from me has a big field of Milkweed growing on his place , wild , but walks around my 45 acre farm hasn't showed me any Milkweed at all. My property has woods, marsh, hayfield and pastures for Milkweed to grow, but doesn't. I miss the Monarch Butterflies also . I remember when Milkweed was everywhere.

 

[roadkillbobb]

Good thing for me,I have Golden Rod growing on my place and around the area also.It's just now starting to get some yellow.
I didn't try to plant the Milkweed seeds in a pot prior to putting them out in the Spring. I think I should have though. A beekeeper about a mile from me has a big field of Milkweed growing on his place , wild , but walks around my 45 acre farm hasn't showed me any Milkweed at all. My property has woods, marsh, hayfield and pastures for Milkweed to grow, but doesn't. I miss the Monarch Butterflies also . I remember when Milkweed was everywhere.

can you dig up some young plants from the farm down the road and plant them around your place? maybe even offer him some honey or $$ for the plants...

 

[Wil]

can you dig up some young plants from the farm down the road and plant them around your place? maybe even offer him some honey or $$ for the plants...

He said he would give me some pods to gather seeds from so I'll see how that works. Also,I'll have some seed pods coming from my Ferrier that comes by to trim my horse when they start coming on. He's do to stop and do the horse in October. That's be a good time to plant the seeds.

 

[roadkillbobb]

He said he would give me some pods to gather seeds from so I'll see how that works. Also,I'll have some seed pods coming from my Ferrier that comes by to trim my horse when they start coming on. He's do to stop and do the horse in October. That's be a good time to plant the seeds.

I would start some seeds inside when ever you can to see what it takes to get them to grow, one seed pod has thousands of seeds in them, so when its time to plant outside you will have down how to get them to grow..where are you located?

 

[Wil]

I would start some seeds inside when ever you can to see what it takes to get them to grow, one seed pod has thousands of seeds in them, so when its time to plant outside you will have down how to get them to grow..where are you located?

Very good idea. Thanks. I live in NE Ohio close to Canfield, Ohio.

 

[roadkillbobb]

Very good idea. Thanks. I live in NE Ohio close to Canfield, Ohio.

ok, im in new york, my place upstate is close to oneonta..so similar climate zone...try laying some seeds out on a wet paper towel and keep it moist to see if any seeds germinate, then with tweezers you can plant in potting soil...once you see some root sprout..

 

[Wil]

ok, im in new york, my place upstate is close to oneonta..so similar climate zone...try laying some seeds out on a wet paper towel and keep it moist to see if any seeds germinate, then with tweezers you can plant in potting soil...once you see some root sprout..

I will definitely try that. Thank you.
I planted Buckwheat around my vegetable garden this past Spring and it came up really good. My garden turned to weeds, however so next year, I may plant all Buckwheat and Milkweed in that spot and move my garden to a raised bed.

 

[amandabee]

here we can buy good, tough hessian and cheap crap so- called hessian. I use the cheap hessian, put a layer down in large seed tray, then a layer of chunky coir husk chips, then couple of inch of seed mix also with fair amount of that coir, and more hessian on top, seeds sown and topdressed as appropriate. Bottom coir layer helps prevent seed mix washing through. Root hairs penetrate the fibrous texture of the coir and help the forming mat hold together when you lift the whole lot out and plant down like lawn grass. Can cut into smaller sections and plant here and there.

I've also tried growing in tubestock, then putting auger on drill and planting like that. Good for larger areas.

 

[amandabee]

I will definitely try that. Thank you.
I planted Buckwheat around my vegetable garden this past Spring and it came up really good. My garden turned to weeds, however so next year, I may plant all Buckwheat and Milkweed in that spot and move my garden to a raised bed.

Plant vetch or another leguminous green manure and chop and dig in before it flowers. Weeds generally move in when soils get a bit sparser- they are natures pioneer plants, and are letting you know this soil is not rich enough to grow vegies. A green manure is an easy way to improve and claim back soil by out -competing weeds for light, adding organic matter to improve the soil and carbon content ( aka humus). Inoculate legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen, and include marigolds and mustard cress to break nematode persistence after solanaceae crops (nightshade tomatoes, capsicums, potatoes, eggplants). Root nodules that form in association with legume roots will not form if soils are lacking in trace minerals, notably manganese and iron. Use trace minerals and seaweed meal if you can get it. I always build luxury levels of trace minerals, and put my NPK on afterwards as needed- easy come, easy go with the big 3.

I plant vetch, annual rye and fava for cool season chop n drop soil improvement, or in warm months borage, mustard, radishes, marigolds, buckwheat, crimson clover, poppies, coriander, rocket, elephant garlic and cosmos for spring- autumn, lazy, self -seed and persist pollinator mix, and nasturtium and cosmos for warm season weed occlusion. We're not warm enough for cowpea but you could try that too

 

[amandabee]

I have not been able to get seeds to germinate. I will try again with vermiculite and do a winter cold stratification. Because I don't get a real winter some seeds are hard starters. But I keep all seeds in my refrigerator so I can re-try. I don't know how to get incentives, I'm working on some Antelope Horn or Viridis milkweed roots I dug up in my friend's pasture to see if I can get them to sprout. I hardened off first. But we are in severe drought here

There are lots of plants suitable for hot dry climates, I know, I just researched many for a talk I gave at our bee club on gardening for bees, and realised what just wouldn't do well in out perpetually wet clay soils. If you do get winter rains, take the opportunity to incorporate any organic matter you can sub surface. Otherwise, plant things appropriate for your climate and soils- it's unneccesary work created otherwise, even if its succulents and cacti to hold soil together. I used to live in a desert climate but am spoilt now in the mountains. Good luck droughts are no fun.

 

[Wil]

Plant vetch or another leguminous green manure and chop and dig in before it flowers. Weeds generally move in when soils get a bit sparser- they are natures pioneer plants, and are letting you know this soil is not rich enough to grow vegies. A green manure is an easy way to improve and claim back soil by out -competing weeds for light, adding organic matter to improve the soil and carbon content ( aka humus). Inoculate legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen, and include marigolds and mustard cress to break nematode persistence after solanaceae crops (nightshade tomatoes, capsicums, potatoes, eggplants). Root nodules that form in association with legume roots will not form if soils are lacking in trace minerals, notably manganese and iron. Use trace minerals and seaweed meal if you can get it. I always build luxury levels of trace minerals, and put my NPK on afterwards as needed- easy come, easy go with the big 3.

I plant vetch, annual rye and fava for cool season chop n drop soil improvement, or in warm months borage, mustard, radishes, marigolds, buckwheat, crimson clover, poppies, coriander, rocket, elephant garlic and cosmos for spring- autumn, lazy, self -seed and persist pollinator mix, and nasturtium and cosmos for warm season weed occlusion. We're not warm enough for cowpea but you could try that too

Never thought of that but I am a poor gardener.Last time I added any manure to the garden was some time ago and I used my horse manure from the compost pile. I think it grew more weeds. Now my garden is growing Fox Tails like crazy.