Author Archives: james

More bait hive action

Posted on May 23, 2024 by james

My concerns about one of my colonies potentially swarming were not helped today by far more action around my bait hive. I tried to follow the flight paths of the scouts though and they seem to be heading off the … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 20th May 2024

Posted on May 23, 2024 by james

Well, I’ve run out of compost for sowing at the moment, but I can buy a little time perhaps. I’ve not sown carrots nor parsnips yet due to the weather, so today was time to get on with them. I … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 10th June 2023: This is why you want a bait hive

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

Because if a swarm ends up somewhere like this, it gets expensive for someone. I really couldn’t deal with this. At least some of the tiles would have to come off for a start and a few of them were … Continue reading →

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An odd swarm call

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

I received a call about a swarm this afternoon, but it didn’t go quite the way I expected… The caller wanted to know if I had a box he could use to keep a swarm that had arrived in his … Continue reading →

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Oilseed rape flowers are disappearing

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

And right next to some of my hives, too. Hopefully there’s at least some Spring honey there to be had, though if they’ve eaten it all on the days they couldn’t fly I shouldn’t be entirely surprised. Anyhow, it means … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 19th May 2024

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

More sowing in the greenhouse today. Mostly climbing beans and cucurbits — the stuff that needs something bigger than a module tray. Beans mostly seem to take care of themselves, but the last few years I’ve had problems getting cucurbits … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 6th June 2023: First mangetout

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

I’ve never tried this variety before. They’re huge! Some pods are easily 100mm long. We’ll have to see how they go down with the rest of the family.

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So sow!

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

With my new-found space in the greenhouse, it’s time to catch up on all the sowing that I haven’t done for the last month because of the miserable weather. It’s quite a pile, having gone through my plan and dug … Continue reading →

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It’s a bee day

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

This morning I inspected the hives in my home apiary. Mostly they’re looking good. I had to add a super to a couple of colonies and a second brood box to another, found a queen and marked her. One colony … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 4th June 2023: I am the daddy!

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

Well, to these little chaps, anyhow. Not a great photo, but they’re the first to hatch of this year’s batch.

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