Agricultural Nectar Flows- Talking Soybeans, Cotton, and Bees!
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- I get a fair amount of questions about soybean and cotton nectar flow.
We're at the very start of that flow and there's a lot of info to get into on the subject.
In this video I discuss some basics about the plants, bloom times, duration of flow, and some hazards.
Great information Gus. I like the see what the bees are working and it’s great to have a guide. Thx
Great Video my Hillbilly Brother! God Bless you and your Bees!!!
Thank you so much. I have cotton on at least two sides of the property.
Gus, thanks for another fine video. I really enjoyed when you show the plants and nectar sources. I’m a lot older that you and keep a few hives for a hobby and I’m learning about some plants from you that I never knew. I was born and raised near B’ham and continue to reside just east of there. Thanks for taking the time to produce the videos and please keep on showing the nectar sources even if you’ve showed it before.
Good information, I have cotton farmers near me in South Carolina.....maybe I should reach out!
This is the kind of info that's really useful to new beekeepers, helps in finding good places to put hives at :)
Gus, I am not that far from you, near the white river, my bees do work elderberry, but I've noticed its in the early morning. Sumac about to start here, soybeans just now getting planted ( late due to floods), but I do have a couple fields of beans on the higher ground that I need to go see if they are blooming yet, redvine hasn't bloomed yet near as I can tell. Getting dry here though.
Almost time for redvine
Enjoyed your video, great information. I have no experience with cotton but have made the odd crop off soybeans here in Ballard County, KY. We are about a week to 10 days behind you guys. Keep the great content coming.
Gus how much nectar can bees get from soybeans. I have about 30 acres right beside my colonies. Thanks for the info
That’s not an easy question.
Depends on where those soybeans are planted. Location and soil have everything to do with nectar production.
Most delta locations you could make around a 100 pounds in a good summer spot.
Enjoyed the video. Farmers and beekeepers both benefit. Like seeing the nectar sources. Good information. I need rain for my sumac. Not much blooming this year. Thanks.
Gus here where I live some people say soybeans are a good honey flow crop and some people say there isn't much to it as far as the amount of nectar the bees can get from it. I've been told that the night time temperature has to stay above 70 something degrees for the soybean plant to produce nectar. So the farther north you go the less likely you will get much nectar from soybeans. Can you talk about that. I have soybeans all around my bees and was hoping to get some honey from the beans.
Yes I agree with the temperature, but the main thing with soy beans is soil. Soil is what determines whether you make honey.
@@gusmitchellcranesnesthoney6529 Well that's encouraging because my soil is nice bottom ground. In a normal year the beans will grow to between waist shoulder high. Thanks Gus!
What time of day are they most active on beans? Ive read that its in the afternoon mostly?
Morning I reckon.
Thanks for the video. I am in middle Tn, east of you. I have about 600 acres of soybeans right across the street from my house and one of my yards. I hope to get some from the beans but I guess you never really know if they will produce nectar or not ? I have heard different opinions.
They reliably produce in certain areas. It’s really not much guessing they do or they don’t. In the hill country of West Tennessee and North Mississippi they don’t make any, 30 minutes away they make 100 pound crop.
Hey Gus, Have you seen any correlation for honey producing soybeans between irrigated fields next to a river and non irrigated fields? This could open another door for me if soybeans near me could put off enough nectar. Does soybean honey taste good by itself or does it need to be blended with another honey type? Thanks @@gusmitchellcranesnesthoney6529
Also I’m located near Clarksville N middle Tennessee@@gusmitchellcranesnesthoney6529
Does the herbicide on cotton harm the bees or is the concern only with insecticide?
Insecticide
Herbicide harms bees in a different way by reducing the forage diversity in the area
Interesting video Gus. I know the method of honey production is a bit different with cotton. I need to do more research. Thanks for taking the time to make this video. You have a lot of knowledge to share with all of us. Not sure why I didn’t see this when you uploaded it but gals I was able to see it today.
Gus…first, got to thank you for getting me try cotton this year. Have 10 supers drying in a spare bedroom right now. My question….do you bottle your cotton honey or cream it? I’ve heard it crystallizes pretty quick. Extracting tonight and have some creamed starter, but also wanted to bottle some, just not sure how long it will be stable
It does crystallize fairly soon when the temperatures drop but it is not rapid like canola or some of these other sources.
It has a very mild flavor so it should do great as creamed honey. It typically crystallizes pretty smoothly as well.
I know guy in Arkansas makes big honey off soybean and cotton .. wasn't for crops they wouldn't make much honey .. said alot others in the area scared to setup around crops ..
I understand the benefits to you having them spray with a ground rig, having less drift. If they end up spraying will you need to move your bees off of the beans or cotton or what action do you need to take?
Hopefully if they can accommodate ground rig spraying in the late evening I wouldn’t have to do anything.
@@gusmitchellcranesnesthoney6529 there are few hundred acres of bean 1.5 miles away from me this year. I'd thought if moving few hives closer but wondered about spraying. They ground spray late eves when they do , didn't know if would need pull them out for a while after