Are razor weeds good for bees?
I read on one of the various beekeeping sites that honey sourced from berries make for a better honey, compared to wildflower. So I did the obvious thing and bought blueberry bushes, and strawberry plants, and a hundred of seeds. And all but 3 died. 1 is currently on life support. To say I have a green thumb would be a lie. (Apparently plants are pickier about water than expected.)
My lawnmower also broke down prior to me getting bees, so the yard was a little unkept. And recently, I was finding blue and red berries all across the yard. Happy times. Berries that aren't even my responsibility to upkeep. Yay.
And then I finally got my new weed eater today. And went to the hot spots for the razor weeds (sharp, thorny vine-like plants), and noticed something peculiar. Those same little berries. I also remember a couple weeks ago some very vibrant flowers in the same area, which just mysteriously disappeared.
Well. Thus comes the question: Do razor weeds produce good nutrition for bees? Because if they do, I'll happily give up some portion of my yard for the bees' benefit. I already planned to, with my garden… But that aside… I simply do not know if they are. They only seemed to flower briefly, and I somehow doubt that bees dig into the berries to extract the nutrients. I mean… just a hunch. But… ok, ending the post now. Please help.
submitted by /u/GreyGanks
[link] [comments]