If you have an apiary, keeping your bees near blossoming trees will reduce their time in the air and help them make the most of the available nectar. Plus, you can choose trees that require little maintenance, beautify your property, provide shade and maybe even produce fruit. To help, here’s a roundup of trees you can plant in your yard to support your honeybees.
FRUIT TREES
Fruit trees require very little maintenance other than annual pruning. You’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of the blossoms in the spring and summer, then savour the fruit harvest through the fall and winter.
Be sure to choose fruit trees that can withstand Edmonton’s harsh winters. Both apple trees and plum trees provide valuable nectar for honeybees and are good choices. Even crab apples, though smaller and not as tasty as regular apples, are pleasing to bees and can be used to make sauces and cider. Plum trees provide extra sweet nectar, which in turn produces especially sweet honey.
FLOWERING TREES
Some deciduous trees grow nectar-producing blossoms, while providing you with added benefits. The blossoms on maples deliver sweetness for your bees, and you can tap the tree to make syrup for yourself.
Another option is the linden, which is sometimes called the bee tree as it’s especially attractive to the insects thanks to its fragrant nectar. Additionally, the leaves and bark of this tree are known to have medicinal properties.
The tulip poplar, although it may take more than a decade to produce blossoms, gives large quantities of nectar that makes a honey that’s dark and rich. Alternatively, the black locust is generous with its nectar, and its fast-growing hardwood and edible flowers make it a beneficial tree to have in your garden.
OAK TREES
Although the oak propagates by wind and does not produce nectar in the same way as other flowering trees, it has lots to offer your honeybees. The oak is home to protective wasps, which form galls to house their larvae. From these galls, your bees can harvest honeydew, a sweet waste matter that’s full of nutrients. Honey made from honeydew may be less sweet than other honeys, but it can have more nutritional value.
TREE SPECIALISTS IN EDMONTON
From trimming and shaping to treating your diseased trees, the arborists at All Season Tree Service in Edmonton will keep your trees in top condition for your honeybees. Contact us to learn more about our services or schedule a service call.