Weekly Gardening Thread Vol. 17, April 27, 2012

Friday, April 27, 2012 | JustaDumbBlonde

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Good morning everyone! I'm looking forward to hearing your gardening challenges and successes today. Please check in and let us know how it's going.

This morning I've put together a little pictorial of how Mark and I cut a honey bee hive out of a wall or similar place. This is a medium-sized cutout that we did back in March. The hive was located in an old shed that the owner wanted to tear down, but they were trying to reclaim windows and the old boards and the bees weren't having any of that. So, the owner got her building back and Mark got a beautiful and productive hive of bees! Talk about win-win!

In this first photo, you see the old shed and Mark has begun vacuuming up the bees after
we removed a sheet of siding and a few lap boards.

A closer look at our first few minutes of the cutout.

Here we begin to see the brood section of
the hive. These are cells where they are raising new bees.

You can see how the bees try to
keep the brood covered to protect it and keep
it warm. The brood is continuously tended.

In the cells that were broken when
we removed the boards, you can see
stored pollen.

We are continuing to remove
boards, expose the hive and vacuum bees.

On the left side, you can see pollen
and bee bread being stored. On the right
you begin to see the honey stores.

Lots of honey stored. We probably
removed 150 lbs. of honey from this hive!

It was really cool as we exposed
the hive, we found the comb to be in
continuous 8 ft. sheets.

As Mark is cutting the comb out of the wall,
I am cutting select pieces to size and bracing it in wooden
frames with rubber bands. We are basically
moving the workings of the hive with the bees.

You can see the empty space where
the hive used to be.

Three hours later, the bees are in
their new home in Mark's back yard apiary.

I hope that you found that interesting and informative. Inviting your questions and/or comments.

Have a great week!

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.

It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread ... there is no telling where it will go and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!

[tillacum]

How exciting. You were able to retreve the whole hive. How much of the honey were you able to “save”? We painted a house about 10 years ago, 2 stories. It was built in the country about early 1900s. The west end of the house had a hive. We “dressed” a couple of men so they could remove the slats and expose the hive. The Menenite fellow we called was able to get the hive and the honey. It was something to see. The men then scraped the wax and residue, then lightly torched the wood to get as much resideu as we could from the frame of the house, then painted the inside frame and put the west end back in place. The two fellows who removed and replaced the slats were paid extra. It was a looong day.

[JRandomFreeper]

No pots. If the heat isn't too bad, the tomatoes do well. Last year was a killer, though.

/johnny

[tillacum]

My lawn is weeds. Dallas grass, some other green stuff, some bermuda, and some St Augustine. I just mow it and hope the St Augustine takes over. During our annual BBQ the cooks do a job out there, the food is so good, I just keep the weeds, cause they always come back. Shoot, it’s green all year long.

YIPPEE, we have planted the first 3 rows of veggies and some watermelon in the Community Garden!! Now to disk more ground, and get ready for the fall/winter crops. Get more people involved. We’ve had some school kids over doing some of the ground work. I’ve been at this for 4 years, 1 year knowing where it will be, 5 months waiting for the trees and scrub brush to be removed, NOW..it’s becoming a place for everyone who wants to....plant something.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Nice pictures of a cool process! I’ve been keeping bees for most of the last 37 years and I’ve hived a few swarms but I never was willing to go quite that far. Right now I have some colonies that moved up into their winter feed boxes and I haven’t had the time or inclination to cut the comb out and plug it into the frames but it’s something that needs to be done. You’re energy is an inspiration!

[tubebender]

Campari Tomatoes sustain me through the off season here in Benderville. I buy mine at Costco...

[tubebender]

I get tired just reading and viewing your exploits!!! Oh to to be younger and blonde again...

[CynicalBear]

>>but last year in this part of Texas.... I don't think anything helped.<<

Yeah, we don’t get those 100 plus days one after the other so it may have been the heat. I lived in Texas for about 5 years and remember quite well.

The shade cloth I got wasn’t all that expensive. The total for the 20x32 was only $98.85 shipped to my door. It came from http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/60-percent-black-bulk-shade-cloth/shade-cloth which was much cheaper than others. I didn’t get the one with the grommets already put in because I am going to staple to the frame.

[CynicalBear]

See post 47. I should have read your post before I posted that and included you in my response.

[CynicalBear]

I have everything in buried pots. My tomatoes are in 4 gal pots buried to the neck with the bottom cut out. Each year I simply pull the pot up and dump the dirt into a wheelbarrow and change the dirt in the pot to keep from growing tomatoes in the same dirt. New dirt comes from my compost pile now that I have it going and the old dirt goes into the compost pile or into pots that I’m growing something else in. My way of rotating crops but their always in the same spot in my garden! LOL

[MulberryDraw]

Interesting pics of the bees. We have thirsty bees visiting our bird bath sometimes. There must be a hive around here somewhere.

Our Dutch Irises bloomed this week. The deer don't eat these so they don't need a fence!

I planted a few mounds of winter squash and a bit more lettuce today. These absolutely have to be in the fenced area.

[Silentgypsy]

Wow! The bees are breathtaking! Thx for posting.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

The only thing that I know about Camparis is that they are about as good as hothouse tomatoes get. Like Mr. Bender, those get Mr. JADB and I through the winter, as well as some grape tomatoes that Sam's Club sells in 3 lb. packages. I believe it was last year that one member of our gardening members did save some campari seeds and grew them and was satisfied with the results.

Now, anasazi beans is something that I know a little about. I buy a 10 lb. bag every year when we go to Colorado. I do like them better than dried pinto beans, but not better than fresh pinto beans. I use anasazi beans in my chili bean mix also.

That was a very good idea with the milk jug. I'll have to remember that one!

[txhurl]

All I could think of in seeing the operation is that I’d have a dozen hot buttermilk biscuits and butter on hand. Yum!

[Silentgypsy]

I’ve drilled holes in the bottom of coffee cans and dug them in near plants that require slow watering, then filled them w/water. That was in the desert. It worked very well there, but now we’re in TN.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Thanks!

[JustaDumbBlonde]

My goodness, bgill, I will pray for fast recovery from your knee problem. I fell in the bed of my husband's pickup today and thought I broke my left wrist when I put it down to catch myself, but it is just a mild sprain and won't slow me down any.

You need to have a talk with Mr. b about that truck parking, if he wants to eat any yummy veggies this year. Grrrrr. There is no use talking to the cat ... I've got one of those 'innocent' little things and gave up on her behaving rather quickly.

Hey, if you need some okra seeds, let me know. I've got a zillion of them. :)

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Sounds like your veggies are doing great! I had two really nice tomato plants that came up in my compost pile ... they were lush and covered with green tomatoes UNTIL a beaver sawed them off at the ground. Don't know if that was before or after he cut down 3 of the cypress trees I'd planted at the edge of the pond. Beaver stew is back on the menu in the blonde household!!!

Glad you enjoyed the bee photos. I love working with those girls!

I don't even have my okra planted yet. This week, maybe.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I hear ya and second that tasty thought! We eat so much honey in this house now. My husband dips his fried chicken in honey and I used to spend a fortune buying the stuff. Now I have gallons. lol

[JustaDumbBlonde]

You’re welcome, Red, and thank you for your comment! What’s up in your yard?

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Thank you for your kind comments on our bee project. What kind of pup will you be adding to the family? I ❤ dogs!