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Author Topic: Bulk Wild Flowers  (Read 3452 times)

Offline mikecva

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Bulk Wild Flowers
« on: November 16, 2012, 04:45:33 pm »
I am going to be setting up a new bee yard and I have the option of planting as many wild flowers as I want . . . so I am looking for bags of various wild flowers that produce a lot of pollen and nectar  (does not need to be the same flower.) I would prefer perennials but it is not a deal breaker but I do want them to be noninvasive. The yard will be in northern Virginia at about 625' in elevation. I have grand children willing to spread several puonds of seeds.  Any suggestions where I can find such a bag of seeds?  -Mike
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Offline AllenF

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2012, 08:34:34 pm »
Will yellow clover grow there?   You can get it in 50# bags.   Internet or the local feed and seed to order it. 

Offline Finski

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2012, 03:49:02 am »
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If you put seeds just among present vegetation, 99% of plants will be killed in ecological fighting.

If you notice some vigorous plant species , it has a name "bad weed".

I have done that  job whole my life.  J ust now I have wild rasberry plants which I should plant onto river bank which has only hay. It spread then with roots.
bleep willows in pots I have too but farmers are eager to cut them.

I trust on Centaurea plants. They are many and grow in poor hay ground.
I America you have of course your own species.

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Offline Finski

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2012, 06:33:15 am »
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They sell here commercial wild flower seed mixtures. The price is awfully high.

Main humbug in seeds is that the ecotype of flowers is so special that they will not survive in planting place. The are dry place species and wet place species in same bag.

 
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Offline JPBEEGETTER

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2012, 10:33:44 am »
Plant Aster seeds in spring , produce many returns in fall of year and come back even fuller next spring. I bought 1 full pound this year and plan to plant in spring. Wife had some this year and did a good job for fall supplement to bees. So am going to expand this coming year. I have 18 Blueberry bushes also. Have garden also. GL   JPP.

Offline S.Rummings

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2012, 11:40:18 am »
What woud be a good nectar producing flower that would grow in a wooded area without a lot of sunlight? I am going to put some yellow clover in the open areas but need something low maintenance for the wooded areas which is the greatest part of my property.

Sure, I know the bees will forage for miles but I want some control to guarantee they will have something available as consistently as possible.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2012, 03:06:02 pm by S.Rummings »

Offline edward

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2012, 12:04:57 pm »
Plant flower that bloom when nothing else is flowering, take a look at the local nursery whats flowering and which flowers the bees are visiting.

mvh edward  :-P

Offline tefer2

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2012, 11:51:15 pm »
I used some of these seed packets this year.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8625-bee-feed-mix.aspx

Offline Joe D

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2012, 10:38:24 am »
A couple of things down here that most people try to get rid off is wild hedge and sumac.  We bush hog, chisel plow, and numerous other things, nothing seem to do a lot of good.  Now that I have bees, these are very beneficial plants, who knew.  Anyway they both grow well and multiply quickly.  Now the hedge is full of ripe seeds.  I have crimson clover and am planning to get some yellow, also have a few different white clovers.  Don't know if they will come up good or not but have been thinking about getting some sacks of bird seed, they seem to be cheaper that flower seeds and give them a try.  Good luck



Joe

Offline rober

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2012, 04:06:10 pm »
i've been watching the girls reactions to various flowers for years. some annuals that they really love are asian poppies, common cosmos, zinnias, & moon flowers ( daturas ). i saw as many as 8 bees per flower on the poppies. all of these will reseed themselves year after year. sweet white, dutch white, & sweet yellow clovers are bi-annusls that reseed themselves as well. plant all the clover that you can afford. this year the girls were always on my russian sage which is a hardy perrennial. if it likes the soil it can become near invasive.

Offline marktrl

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2012, 05:16:20 pm »
I find that the bees love when I let the basil and broccoli go to flower. Broccoli is a very good protein source for them. 

Offline edward

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Re: Bulk Wild Flowers
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2012, 07:31:18 pm »
The best pollen protein %

blue devil, blue thistle, blue weed, viper's bugloss 35 %
Lupins or lupines 34 %
Pears 26 %
white clover (also known as Dutch clover 26 %
broad bean, fava bean, faba bean, field bean, bell bean, or tic bean 24 %
Vicia villosa, known as the hairy vetch, fodder vetch or winter vetch 24 %
Rape 24 %
Willows 22 %
Common Cornflower 21%

mvh edward  :-P

 

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