Rhubarb index 2020

[Bobbie54]

I'm eating up what's left from 2019 in anticipation of a bumper crop soon.

[gbaglo]

I'd rather eat daffodils than rhubarb.

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Glenn
Have you ever made a salad out of day lily buds a couple days before they open. Pretty tasty.
Deer know this and they are also hosta experts eating certain ones they prefer over others.
Iowa Dave

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Hi Glenn
Have you ever made a salad out of day lily buds a couple days before they open. Pretty tasty.
Deer know this and they are also hosta experts eating certain ones they prefer over others.
Iowa Dave

I must have anti deer hostage - they never eat mine. On the other hand, they sure love my tulips!

[Iowa Dave]

A good friend of has about 80 hosta varieties. Some are left completely left alone and others are salad to vegetarians. The deer are pretty indiscriminate when it comes to day lillies. They will eat them at at will. Our native populations of Trillium have pretty much been devximated
I the past 30 years. Wake Robin and white trillium are completely gone out of one of the urban woodlands I used to manage. I have a few day lilies near the house. Deer are ever vigilant. Pictures at Kramer’s Flower Farm in Cedar Rapids. They are very good friends. If your in the vicinity of Cedar Rapids around the Fourth of July, let us know and Dave and Sue will give you a tour. Then we’ll have a cold one. 8000 day lily plants is a sight.

Iowa Dave

[Curious Mike]

A sign of early spring here. I've caught 4 swarms in the last two weeks.
Normally don't see swarms here until May.
Here's one of the larger ones from last week in one of my pecan trees.

[MyronL]

We had 12 inches of Spring Surprise here a week ago. All gone now but it created quite a rhubarb.

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by Curious Mike

I've caught 4 swarms in the last two weeks.

?? AND THE REST OF THE STORY PLEASE

[padlin]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Deer know this and they are also hosta experts eating certain ones they prefer over others.
Iowa Dave

Wonder if this is like the Japanese Beetles, we have maybe a dozen different kinds of Hostas, the beetles eat the lightest thin leaved ones the most, and completely ignore the darker thick leaved varieties.

[Curious Mike]

Originally Posted by Ronn

?? AND THE REST OF THE STORY PLEASE

Don't know if there is much else to the story. We live on 2 acres and have a small apiary. (7 - 10 hives) Once the nectar flow starts in the spring, (and if the hive is strong) the bees will make a new queen. Just like in your house and mine, there can only be 1 queen so somebody has to go. If the old queen leaves she'll take a lot of her loyal bees with her and you get a large swarm. If the new queen leaves, the swarm will be much smaller. The swarm will usually land in a nearby tree but they might land just about anywhere. Most bees in the swarm will hang tight while some scout bees look for a good location to make a new hive. It's at this time I capture the swarm and give them a nice new home.

[gbaglo]

And, how do you capture the swarm?

[Curious Mike]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

And, how do you capture the swarm?

Carefully brush them off into a box with a brush made for that purpose. Swarms are usually very gentile as they have no hive to defend.

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by Curious Mike

Don't know if there is much else to the story. We live on 2 acres and have a small apiary. (7 - 10 hives) Once the nectar flow starts in the spring, (and if the hive is strong) the bees will make a new queen. Just like in your house and mine, there can only be 1 queen so somebody has to go. If the old queen leaves she'll take a lot of her loyal bees with her and you get a large swarm. If the new queen leaves, the swarm will be much smaller. The swarm will usually land in a nearby tree but they might land just about anywhere. Most bees in the swarm will hang tight while some scout bees look for a good location to make a new hive. It's at this time I capture the swarm and give them a nice new home.

Great "rest of the story" Curious Mike, you did make me CURIOUS especially looking at that picture!

[Jim Bennett]

Finally!

Our back yard snow has melted and the rhubarb is starting to show.

Two separate mounds.

Let 'er grow. [emoji16]

[gabeck]

Our rhubarb has reached about the same stage as the Bennetts......but we are already having some spring visitors !

[cpaharley2008]

I find beekeeping as extremely interesting, natures marvels. I wish I knew more about them....

[Bobbie54]

I have some rhubarb ready to pick. I thought I removed the plant of giant green rhubarb last fall (and moved it) but apparently left some in its original spot where it is going to over-shade the variety I prefer which I put there instead. (They both seem to love that spot.) I need to hurry and finish last year's rhubarb!

No bees yet but then nothing is blooming. When the raspberries start to bloom we'll have bumblebees.

[Roger C H]

Our rhododendrons are going nuts!

[Bobbie54]

Rhubarb Index, 2021. And I went camping last week.

[gbaglo]

Congrats. I'll take a look at mine.