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Author Topic: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?  (Read 9826 times)

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Offline litefoot

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Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« on: July 02, 2014, 01:15:17 am »
Are there effective herbicides that won't have a negative effect on bees? My back yard is becoming a jungle because I'm afraid to use anything. Can I screen in the girls for a day or two after spraying to mitigate the effects or am I just asking for trouble? Any safe alternatives?
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Offline tmrschessie

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2014, 02:22:36 am »
You can use salt....
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Offline Jen

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2014, 02:24:06 am »
Hi Litefoot  :)  Pure apple cider vinegar kills most everything that I don't want in my yard, from crabgrass tendrals, very stickery bushes, to lawn grass itself where the mower won't reach. Either pour it on straight right in the middle of the plant, or you can pour some in a regular hand sprayer and spray it on. One good drenching and the plant will be shriveled up the next day.

I would be wary of spraying unwanted plants in the vegetable garden soil tho, it changes the ph of the soil which is not good.

And by the way, I asked the same question when I got my bees as well. I now let dandelions grow with a smile on my face  :)
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Offline kebee

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2014, 06:26:27 am »
 Mix one gallon of vinegar with a cup of episdom salt and table spoon dish detergent in a sprayer and spray when the weeds are dry, next day weeds are dead.

Ken
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Offline Woody Roberts

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2014, 12:14:02 pm »
If it wasn't for weeds I wouldent have a yard. :D
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2014, 01:35:15 pm »
With any sprays that are applied around the bees whether chemical, or organic, including herbicides, pesticide, fungicides, fertilizers, or any others. There are more than the one way for it to come to be in the hive.The three most common ways are. 1 In the nectar and on the pollen being brought in to the hive by the bees. 2 From the drifting of the mist or powder into the hive during the application process. 3 From contaminated water that the bees bring back into the hive from ponds, standing water and dripping from sprayers after the application. But it is also the direct spraying of the bees as they are foraging in the field. as well as when liquid sprays are used and diluted with water and sprayed on as a mist, this moisture attracts the bees to it as a water source and bring it into the hive. 

Method and timing of applications becomes an important issue in applying sprays and powders. We don't want any thing drifting towards the hive when it is being sprayed. We don't want to be spraying on the bees so spray when the bees are not active. Spray early enough before the bees start to fly so the water mist that is carrying the chemical has time to dry before the bees begin actively foraging for the day. By eliminating as much standing stagnate water and ensuring the bees have access to clean fresh water.

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Offline litefoot

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2014, 01:40:52 pm »
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Vinegar, huh? That dang stuff has so many uses! And Apis, thanks for the suggestions on the time-of-day for application.
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Offline litefoot

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2014, 01:46:48 pm »
Quote from: Woody Roberts on July 02, 2014, 12:14:02 pm
If it wasn't for weeds I wouldent have a yard. :D

 :D Me too. I'm thinking of the old "mowing the lawn and finding a car in your yard" joke.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2014, 07:27:11 pm »
Believe it or not, I use Round up..
   I mow and trim around the hives, and that night after dark I go out and spray with round up. Make sure no rain is in the forecast for a couple of days and just have at it..
   My fields, and fields at my Outyards get sprayed with roundup. Many hives are less than five feet from the edges of the fields. I have not noticed any problems associated with the spraying of round up, but I do try to keep my combs rotated every three to five years.
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Offline blueblood

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2014, 08:25:42 pm »
I do it the old fashioned way, I suit up and mow it.  I just happened to do so tonight and riled them up something awful! Ha!

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Offline Jen

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2014, 10:15:33 pm »
Love your bee yard Blue  :)
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2014, 12:21:41 am »
"If it wasn't for weeds I wouldent have a yard. :D"

dang woody you are too funny!............ :D

litefoot, this is a hard one, like scott, we have used roundup on occasion, nothing more. (see apis post on application and scott's, after dusk) but.....we have more of a problem with noxious weeds at our city res than we do in the country, mainly because of a neighboring property. never used anything in the country, except some roundup on weeds growing under or near the electric fence where my bees are kept.  my bees are kept in the country, but sometimes i will bring nucs and hives back to my city res.  i 'educate' and work with my city neighbors about the use of pesticides/herbicides and letting me know about it so i can minimize any incident with the bees.
anyway, good post by apis....(and also scott mentioning after dark).....

"Method and timing of applications becomes an important issue in applying sprays and powders. We don't want any thing drifting towards the hive when it is being sprayed. We don't want to be spraying on the bees so spray when the bees are not active. Spray early enough before the bees start to fly so the water mist that is carrying the chemical has time to dry before the bees begin actively foraging for the day. By eliminating as much standing stagnate water and ensuring the bees have access to clean fresh water."

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Offline Bsweet

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2014, 10:06:05 pm »
If it blooms it ain't a weed. ;D I mow or pull any unwanted. Jim
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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2014, 12:39:37 am »
I put scrap pond liner (I have BIG scrap) under the hive stand.  Then if I have to bait for ants, I put the bait under the pond liner, which is where the ants are anyway
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2014, 09:38:12 am »
Every plant blooms,(one way or another) the bees don't work them all. Like woody said  ;D, also i only cut trees and brush out of my fence rows alot of the weeds the bees work. I also use Round-Up (late in the evening) to rid unwanted weeds and brush from pastures, never had a problem with it, except when i sprayed my wifes flower garden  >:(, i thought it was weeds coming up ??? I had to remind her that i was the King and this is my Castle,  ;D Jack
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2014, 10:03:45 am »
What Jack. King of the doghouse.

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Offline tmrschessie

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #16 on: July 04, 2014, 10:06:13 am »
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on July 04, 2014, 09:38:12 am
Every plant blooms,(one way or another) the bees don't work them all. Like woody said  ;D, also i only cut trees and brush out of my fence rows alot of the weeds the bees work. I also use Round-Up (late in the evening) to rid unwanted weeds and brush from pastures, never had a problem with it, except when i sprayed my wifes flower garden  >:(, i thought it was weeds coming up ??? I had to remind her that i was the King and this is my Castle, ;D Jack

How many you been through?   Wife's that is..... :laugh:
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Offline blueblood

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #17 on: July 04, 2014, 10:29:09 am »
Funny seeing this thread after seeing Yankee's overgrown bee yard pics!  :laugh:
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Offline barry42001

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #18 on: July 04, 2014, 12:11:33 pm »

Use the 4 by 8 sheet of 3/4 inch marine plywood, painted with primer.
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Offline minz

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Re: Backyard beekeepers: How do you deal with weeds in your yard?
« Reply #19 on: July 04, 2014, 08:30:53 pm »
Marine plywood is $110 a sheet for 5/8" here. Rubber roofing (pond liner) is about $10. Ask for epdm roofing.
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