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Thread: Buckwheat

  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    Default Buckwheat

    Anyone have any experience of this in Scotland and is it any use? Some fields close to me have come into flower.

    PHDSCF1726a.jpgDSCF1726a.jpg
    Last edited by Poly Hive; 19-07-2017 at 08:59 PM.

  2. #2

    Default

    I didn't know anything about buckwheat poly hive but I did find out it grows fast and doesn't like over watering so that might be why you dont see much in Scotland
    It might be grown as a cover crop and plowed in but if they intend to produce the seed they will welcome your bees as it needs pollinating by bees
    well worth checking out though because apparently the dark honey you get is very desirable (saleable)

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  3. #3
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    Radish.
    It's used to stop nutrients from being washed down into the soil. So you keep the nutrients and then plough it back in thus giving some plant matter to the soil too. Had some near me over last winter and bees liked it on a mild winters' day.

  4. #4
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    Across all the forums and pages radish seems to be the right ID. There are now some 4 fields in flower with in a mile of the hives so whether it yields or not remains to be seen. We have had rain but the temps are pretty cool so I am not holding my breath really.

    PH

  5. #5
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    According to Howes "Plants and Beekeeping" domestic radish yields nectar when in flower, although he reckons wild radish (White or jointed charlock) is better, depends on quantity available...sound like you have loads. Honey is supposed to set quickly and be light in colour.
    Be interesting to see what your bees get.

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