Originally Posted by
gavin
Really sorry to hear that. Clearly you think deeply about your beekeeping choices and it is sad that you are backing out. Best of luck with the alternative way of spending your time and making income.
Apple pollination. Chapter 17 in Delaplane and Mayer, Crop Pollination by Bees.
In smaller orchards, colonies should be placed in groups of 4-6 at 150 yard intervals. With larger orchards, colonies should be placed in groups of 8-16 at 200-300 yard intervals, starting about 100 yards from the edges.
and
Colonies should not be kept at the apple orchards year-round. Instead, they should be moved in after about 5% of the orchard is on bloom or when the first blooms open. Such a delay will encourage the bees to focus on the crop rather than learn to visit competing plants.
PS Just to echo Prakel's comments, commercial orchards pay for this service. The BFA could advise on rates if you join them. It is only to your benefit if the site gives you a high quality season-long site with decent forage in the surrounding area. The orchard I use is great for bees, a very long season of bloom with cherry plum, plums and gages, several apple varieties and lots of old pear tress. Plus clover in the grass, carpets of snowdrops and aconites (won't be long now!), sycamore and lime trees, bramble plus OSR over the wall and ivy on it.
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