I am going to be adding some hives to my beekeeping and was wondering the best way to maximize honey production.
best way- it means the whole beekeeping skill :D
BUT fist you must get your colonies to develope well during spring.
Then you must prevent swarming, or at least prevent bees to escape
The honey crop will depend on pastures and weather and how much you have other beekeepers to share pastures. I use 3 brood boxes. I add the new brood box lowest to save brood space temperature.
It is good, if bees have in third box foundations to build. It prevents swarming.
My system is 3 brood Lnagstroth boxes + 3-5 Farrar supers = 6-8 boxes.
When you add honey supers, hive is so big that it will manage with its temperature.
The empty super must be added between honey and brood. It again good to give new foundations.
The lowest brood box is spare room, where bees put pollen exrta honey flow and extra space for bees.
When honey is coming, ventilation must be good , entrance totally open. Bees need extra space where to put eggs and honey to mature. You must take capped honey away that bees have surely free space.
Hive is good to be at summer 5-6 boxes. 4 is too few.
That is basic lane.
.
I have 30 fully drawn frames
I have 30 frames of foundation only..
These are enough
for one hive, and it is minumum.
.
What is the best way to put on frames of drawn and undrawn
foundation. 9 frames or 10 frames? .
In honey supers I use minus 1 ready frames.
.
It seems logical to put the drawn frames in the center. If you put mixed drawn frames and foundation, bees make bigger the old combs ant that is not good idea. .
Bees
do not widden old combs
It is better to put whole box foundation , so they make them evenly thick.
Brood foundation I put in the middle of larvas.
Not that way;
OR PUT ON TWO SUPERS with foundation above drawn:
F- F- F- F- F- F- F- F- F- F (10 frames)
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D (9 frames)
BROOD CHAMBERS
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D
F- F- F- F- F- F- F- F- F- F
BROOD CHAMBERS
This is best
You can also
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D
F- F- F- F- F-D-D-D-D-D
BROOD 3 box
OR
F- F- F- F- F-D-D-D-D-D
BROOD 2-3 box
That system is to prevent swarming fever during early spring.
In the middle of best honey flow you can take queen away for 2 weeks. Without brood bees collect awfully much honey. And you make nuc from queen and a couple of brood frames.