I've been considering getting a Mimosa. however am told they make a horrible mess as well.
I'd say they are fairly messy. First it's the dried pom-poms (flowers), then the seed pods
but it's not all that bad. The cherry blossoms dump a lot more flower petals.. then there is the walnut trees... and, in the Autumn, don't get me started on the massive Poplar's leaf dump! :roll:
From everything I have read, our flow is over. But you make it sound like there is still some hope to get some more winter stores during the fall?
Is it your first season at present location? Beekeeping is like real estate; "location, location, location". ;) In
general, the entire of the Willamette Valley is past peak & drying. The 100°s+ forecast for weekend & early next week surely won't help! :-P I'm unfamiliar with Lafayette but it looks like a town surrounded by flat farmland. Do you know what the farmer's within forage range currently have growing? Are there any wetlands and/or significant reservoirs, creeks, etc., within forage range? If so you could take a stroll along there and see what's blooming that
might give you some estimation. If you see something like this (purple loosestrife) in the distance ~>
You might be in business.
Also see if there's any birdsfoot trefoil
that one also lasts/produces well into summer.
Alsike clover & vetch going strong:
I seeded a few acres with Alsike early this spring.
The Jasmine is another one here that is just coming in now.
and the Anise Hyssop that I planted is suppose to be an excellent producer. I don't have it going in any significant quantity as yet but do hope to have it growing in large and increasing numbers every successive season.
Mimosa is a beautifull tree, and fast growing, but is short lived (you see very few large mimosa trees) but are easy to start from seed, and not so messy.
Ours must be one of the few. It is
huge. I'll try to capture a good image of the canopy and trunk.
Cheers,
Dane