More from the Kitchen Garden. 8.10.14

Zucchini and Scallop Squash.  8.10.14

Tomatoes.  8.10.14

 In addition to the tree fruits, we have squashes of various types, tomatoes - mostly Sungold -, eggplants, and today had a taste of honey.  Oh wow that honey was good.

Honey.  8.10.14

Sourwood Tree profile. Oxydendrum arboreum.

I noted in previous post, I bought a fair sized specimen Sourwood tree.  Oxydendrum arboreum.

Sourwoods are native to the Southeastern united states.  They are relatively undomesticated.  In other words, there are few cultivars.  This specimen was labeled, just, "Sourwood Tree".

According to Portland nursery, in this area, the tree is upright, slow growing, with a rounded top appearance.   They grow 25 to 30 feet tall, but in their native habitat grow much taller, 100 feet.  They like an acidic, peaty soil, and should be mulched without much plant competition under the tree.

Portland nursery states when planted in lawns, the tree does not thrive. Since I won't have grass growing up to the trunk, and will keep it mulched and add compost, I hope it will do better.

According to http://forestry.about.com/od/silviculture/p/sourwood.htm, sourwoods tolerate clay soil, and loam, sand, acidic soils.  My soil is a clay soil, somewhat acidic.  Also stated there "Reportedly not highly drought tolerant, but there are beautiful specimens in USDA hardiness zone 7 growing in the open sun in poor clay with no irrigation."

 Pic from wikimedia commons .  Sourwood trees make a great varietal honey.   I will have a beehive near this tree, so maybe there will be a small amount of sourwood honey flavor in the honey. At least, it should feed the honeybees.  Along with the lindens I planted, and the fruit trees, and the herbs and flowers.

Yesterday I raked back the straw mulch, and added a few inches of compost to enrich the soil and feed the tree.

I hope it grows.

Bee forage. Jul 31.

Melissa in bloom.  Lemon Balm.

Melissa just started blooming.  Not many bees on it yet.  Mostly bumblebees.  Bumblebees seem to be less picky.

Same for this small patch of peppermint.  Its away from the hive so they may not have found it.

Spearmint is not yet blooming.

Honeybees continue to concentrate heavily on Caryopteris and oregano.  They also frequent Lavender flowers.

And actively forage dandelions, in heavy bloom, and thistle, at its peak. 

Bumblebees occasionally feed on the buddleia hybrids.  Not heavily. I had better hopes for them.

They seem unaware of wild carrot, blooming heavily.

Mentha in bloom.  Peppermint.

Honeybees on oregano

Honeybees foraging oregano

Interesting to look at the pollen-filled "saddlebags".  Those represent a lot of pollen collecting by the hard working honeybee.

Lots of honeybees on the oregano flowers.

Viewing the enthusiasm honeybees show for oregano, I should plant a lot more of it next year in the bee garden.  It's a bit too big for the iris / culinary herb beds.

Honeybees

On a chilly am, the honeybees cluster at the hive entrance.

Beekeeping. Progress Report.

Minor maintenance on beehive. Check top bars, make sure there is room for expansion of hive. Remove the empty sugar feeders. Near the hives, a row of wild white-flowered trees. I don't know what they are. Mild musky fragrance. There were bumblebees as well as a few honeybees on these flowers.

Ukranian Beekeeping Stamps

From wikimedia commons. 2001  Ukranian stamps

Ukranian beekeeping stamp, 1994 and subsequent issues.

Also this one, 1999.