Guest guest Posted August 15, 2009 Report Share Posted August 15, 2009 My cantalope is overtaking my chard so was hoping to transplant the chard. The problem I face is lots of huge bumble bees that don't like it when I hang around the cantalope flowers very long (besides this, I think we have a pretty good relationship - LOL). I worry digging and causing a lot of commotion will upset them too much. We also have some dark blue, fat wasps that like to hang out on the cantalope plants. So my question is - is there a time of day when the bees are the least likely to be there? (yep, the wasp too). If not, how tolerant are there to disturbances? I usually get a warning " buzz by " if I'm working too much near the flowers and don't want to push it. Thoughts? Worse case, I can keep sneaking through the cantalope to get my chard! (one grows high and the other grows low). Thanks all! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Most of them go home in the eve. You can try to register if they are aggressive at all. Most aren't but if so watch out. Bees wasps also see dark bright colors so go out in your whites tans. Don't run swat or move quickly. If it comes down to it, walk away slowly. This requires a lot of self control but works. Believe me I know this all 1st hand. Lara <> >Barb [FirstYrs08] >8/15/2009 6:32:32 PM > >Re: [RFSL] Question about bees... > > My cantalope is overtaking my chard so was hoping to transplant the chard. The >problem I face is lots of huge bumble bees that don't like it when I hang around >the cantalope flowers very long (besides this, I think we have a pretty good >relationship - LOL). I worry digging and causing a lot of commotion will upset >them too much. We also have some dark blue, fat wasps that like to hang out on >the cantalope plants. > >So my question is - is there a time of day when the bees are the least likely to >be there? (yep, the wasp too). If not, how tolerant are there to disturbances? I >usually get a warning "buzz by" if I'm working too much near the flowers and >don't want to push it. > >Thoughts? > >Worse case, I can keep sneaking through the cantalope to get my chard! (one >grows high and the other grows low). > >Thanks all! > >Barb > > > >Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic >Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Calendar >The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary >may speak. >— Hans Hofmann > >MARKETPLACE >Mom Power: Discover the community of moms doing more for their families, for the >world and for each other > >Change settings via the Web ( ID required) >Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to >Traditional >Visit Your Group | Terms of Use | Un Recent Activity > >=== message truncated === http://toolbar.Care2.com Make your computer carbon-neutral (free).http://www.Care2.com Green Living, Human Rights and more - 8 million members! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Generally speaking, beekeepers tend their hives early in the morning. I think the cooler it is, the less likely you will be to run into bees. Yellowjackets and wasps have a shorter fuse than honey bees and bumble bees. I garden newar honey bees and bumblebees all the time and they never bother me. But my husband has been stung twice in the past week by yellowjackets with NO provocation at all. Both times he was stung in the afternoon. Good luck, lol. Let us know how you make out. Cyndi Barb <FirstYrs08 Sat, Aug 15, 2009 3:31 pm [RFSL] Question about bees... My cantalope is overtaking my chard so was hoping to transplant the chard. The problem I face is lots of huge bumble bees that don't like it when I hang around the cantalope flowers very long (besides this, I think we have a pretty good relationship - LOL). I worry digging and causing a lot of commotion will upset them too much. We also have some dark blue, fat wasps that like to hang out on the cantalope plants. So my question is - is there a time of day when the bees are the least likely to be there? (yep, the wasp too). If not, how tolerant are there to disturbances? I usually get a warning "buzz by" if I'm working too much near the flowers and don't want to push it. Thoughts? Worse case, I can keep sneaking through the cantalope to get my chard! (one grows high and the other grows low). Thanks all! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 We just got a bunch more rain tonight (which is ideal for transplanting!). But I'm up too late tonight to get out there early so I may have to wait a little longer - I'll keep you updated. Thanks for the info!! And I HATE those wasps!!! The bees are actually pretty cool. Twice now, when I've watered the garden, two bees actually sat on the fence while I watered with the hose & then went back to the flowers once I was done. I was so pleasantly surprised that they didn't go after me!! And when I work back there, if I'm working to close to what they want, they've done a " fly by/buzz by " (I'm repeating myself). Since I'm a newbee gardener & completely new to dealing with bees, its REALLY REALLY amazing to me! (well....just as long as I don't get stung - LOL). , cyndikrall wrote: > > Generally speaking, beekeepers tend their hives early in the morning. I think the cooler it is, the less likely you will be to run into bees. Yellowjackets and wasps have a shorter fuse than honey bees and bumble bees. I garden newar honey bees and bumblebees all the time and they never bother me. But my husband has been stung twice in the past week by yellowjackets with NO provocation at all. Both times he was stung in the afternoon. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Not so good to work the soil when it's very wet. The big bumble bees we have here in MD so gentle I don't think they sting. I don't know about your blue wasps. Most are great pollinators some are so benefiicial they actually sting grubs in the ground and prevent the emergence of Japanese beetles. You may want to research your wasps. Yellow Jackets are the only one I've had trouble with. They will sting for no reason. Can sting multiple times put out a scent invitation for more to come attack. Cyndi-did your husband have a food smell to him? Maybe a personal care product or walked by their nest (in ground)? they get crazy in the fall. <> >Barb [FirstYrs08] >8/16/2009 5:09:35 AM > >Re: [RFSL] Question about bees... > > We just got a bunch more rain tonight (which is ideal for transplanting!). But >I'm up too late tonight to get out there early so I may have to wait a little >longer - I'll keep you updated. Thanks for the info!! > >And I HATE those wasps!!! The bees are actually pretty cool. Twice now, when >I've watered the garden, two bees actually sat on the fence while I watered with >the hose then went back to the flowers once I was done. I was so pleasantly >surprised that they didn't go after me!! And when I work back there, if I'm >working to close to what they want, they've done a "fly by/buzz by" (I'm >repeating myself). Since I'm a newbee gardener completely new to dealing with >bees, its REALLY REALLY amazing to me! (well....just as long as I don't get >stung - LOL). > > , cyndikrall wrote: >> >> Generally speaking, beekeepers tend their hives early in the morning. I think >the cooler it is, the less likely you will be to run into bees. Yellowjackets >and wasps have a shorter fuse than honey bees and bumble bees. I garden newar >honey bees and bumblebees all the time and they never bother me. But my husband >has been stung twice in the past week by yellowjackets with NO provocation at >all. Both times he was stung in the afternoon. >> > > > >Messages in this topic (4) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic >Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Calendar >The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary >may speak. >— Hans Hofmann > > >Change settings via the Web ( ID required) >Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to >Traditional >Visit Your Group | Terms of Use | Un Recent Activity > >=== message truncated === http://toolbar.Care2.com Make your computer carbon-neutral (free).http://www.Care2.com Green Living, Human Rights and more - 8 million members! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Lara - why isn't it a good idea to work the soil when its very wet? (I'm a newbie to gardening - this is my first EVER). By the way, I emailed our county extension office & here is what they said... Moving chard now is not a good idea. The plant will take a long time to recover and in the meantime, you'll be deprived of harvest. You'd be better off starting new chard plants now where you want them to grow. Harvest from the ones in the cantaloupe patch as long as they produce, knowing you'll be getting a later crop from your second planting. Wasps and bees are pollinators and thus necessary to vegetable production. The steel blue wasps are cricket hunters and considered beneficial. Bees fly primarily in the morning and evening hours; wasps all daylight hours. Gentle movements will disturb them the least, so keep that in mind. My husband and I were putting siding on our house, right next to a morning glory vine chock full of bees and wasps. Despite brushing and moving the plants numerous times, nobody was stung. These insects respond to aggression with aggression, thus slow gentle movements are best. , " Lara Brown " <larabrown wrote: > > Not so good to work the soil when it's very wet. The big bumble bees we > have here in MD so gentle & I don't think they sting. I don't know about > your blue wasps. Most are great pollinators & some are so benefiicial > they actually sting grubs in the ground and prevent the emergence of > Japanese beetles. You may want to research your wasps. Yellow Jackets > are the only one I've had trouble with. They will sting for no reason. > Can sting multiple times & put out a scent invitation for more to come > attack. > > Cyndi-did your husband have a food smell to him? Maybe a personal care > product or walked by their nest (in ground)? they get crazy in the fall. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Hi, Just in from heat humidity feeling very inarticulate... kinda sick ... watch that The problem with working wet soil is it clumps up, excludes oxygen, makes it compacted hard for roots worms. I think the rule of thumb is if it clumps up stays in a ball leave it if it crumbles it's ok. Probably worse the more clay you have. <> >frstyrs08 [FirstYrs08] >8/20/2009 11:52:07 PM > >Re: [RFSL] Re: Question about bees... > > Lara - why isn't it a good idea to work the soil when its very wet? (I'm a >newbie to gardening - this is my first EVER). > >By the way, I emailed our county extension office here is what they said... >Moving chard now is not a good idea. The plant will take a long time to recover >and in the meantime, you'll be deprived of harvest. You'd be better off starting >new chard plants now where you want them to grow. Harvest from the ones in the >cantaloupe patch as long as they produce, knowing you'll be getting a later crop >from your second planting. > >Wasps and bees are pollinators and thus necessary to vegetable production. The >steel blue wasps are cricket hunters and considered beneficial. Bees fly >primarily in the morning and evening hours; wasps all daylight hours. Gentle >movements will disturb them the least, so keep that in mind. My husband and I >were putting siding on our house, right next to a morning glory vine chock full >of bees and wasps. Despite brushing and moving the plants numerous times, nobody >was stung. These insects respond to aggression with aggression, thus slow gentle >movements are best. > > , "Lara Brown" <larabrown.> wrote: >> >> Not so good to work the soil when it's very wet. The big bumble bees we >> have here in MD so gentle I don't think they sting. I don't know about >> your blue wasps. Most are great pollinators some are so benefiicial >> they actually sting grubs in the ground and prevent the emergence of >> Japanese beetles. You may want to research your wasps. Yellow Jackets >> are the only one I've had trouble with. They will sting for no reason. >> Can sting multiple times put out a scent invitation for more to come >> attack. >> >> Cyndi-did your husband have a food smell to him? Maybe a personal care >> product or walked by their nest (in ground)? they get crazy in the fall. >> > > > >Messages in this topic (6) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic >Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Calendar >The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary >may speak. >— Hans Hofmann > >MARKETPLACE >Mom Power: Discover the community of moms doing more for their families, for the >world and for each other > >Change settings via the Web ( ID required) >Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | > >=== message truncated === http://toolbar.Care2.com Make your computer carbon-neutral (free).http://www.Care2.com Green Living, Human Rights and more - 8 million members! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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