is this the best method if I want to maximise honey production from my colonies?
The whole beekeeping is to maximize honey production to me. If you just like to keep bees on back yard it has no challenge or aim to learn new.
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/PDFs/Swarm_Prev_Control_PM.pdfSwarming season demands skill how to avoid it. There are plenty of, not methods but acts, how to avoid swarming, and how to stop it when first sure sign step in sight. It begins when you got a new queen last summer.
The goal is still to get big hive for main yield, not swarm stopping.
I have noticed that the best way to maximize yield is to carry hives to good pastures. No matter how big or good hive you have if you have nectar very near to forage.
50% yield will go if bees must fly to the distance of 1 mile to get good loads of nectar.
I just start with my Toyota to my cottage and move half of my bee yard to outer pastures. There are dandelions in blossom and farm gardens. hey blooms 10 days.
After that we have blossom gap were we have short of bee flowers and they like to swarm. Swarming season last here about 2-3 weeks. You have seeral months. Next honey plant is raspberry.
If hive is full of honey it will swarm to morrow without any warnings. It just go and you notice egg in queen cups. That happens easily when you put small hive on rape field. It will be full in few days.