Jonny bee good Oz

02/12/2023

Honey available, raw/non heat treated
Amazing season so far
500g @ $8 or 10 for $75
1kg @ $13
3kg @ $35

31/10/2021

17/10/2021

Let’s talk honey. Actually, I won’t do the talking but instead quote someone with scientific knowledge of its properties. He calls it “a supercharged bacteria-killing powerhouse”. So watch this space for some of the goodness coming to your table. Check out the video if you want all the details. It’s short and it’s packed full of goodness.

https://youtu.be/7FlzHiURdTs

13/10/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Mustard, a great pollen supplier for bees right now but it can also be used as a soil biofumigant that kills nematodes and pathogenic fungi. Also great for suppressing weeds.

Check out the following articles for more information:
https://www.growveg.com.au/guides/the-benefits-of-growing-mustard/
https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/nematodes/9429726

Wondering what natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

10/10/2021

This week it was time to save a colony of bees from a wall cavity so I stuck my hand in it. I did wear gloves which was great since they were covered in stingers by the end of it. Have you got a wild colony of bees? Let’s see if we can save them as well and create a healthier environment for bees.

And yes, it’s been crazy busy so sorry for not keeping up with posts.

03/10/2021

Swarming has now been happening in our area. As soon as there’s a warm day there’s multiple phone calls about swarm collections. Did you know that bees often enough get put into a smaller hive initially? That makes it a little easier for them to stay warm as their numbers will drop before they have found their normal rhythm again.
We call these Nucs. We are getting a few more of these ready to cope with the number of call outs.

29/09/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Native plant expert Angus Stewart calls these ‘one of the best bottlebrushes ever’. Bright red flower heads that are also attractive to nectar loving birds and it’s very hardy for a range of soil types and conditions. What more could you ask for?

Bottlebrush
Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special’
- Can grow up to 4m tall and 4m wide
- Origin: native Australian
- Erosion control, fast growing and a bird nesting plant
- Loved by bees, nectar eating birds and butterflies

For more information check out https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/callistemon-kings-park-special-bottlebrush/

Available at Adelaide Advanced Trees

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

26/09/2021

There are more and more plants flowering right now and I‘m always curious to find out what exactly those plants are to see how beneficial they are for my bees or what other uses they could have. I use the following two apps amongst many books to try and identify them.

iNaturalist.org
PictureThis

22/09/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Now this is a fascinating plant. A bottlebrush shrub that has got pink to orange new growth and later on the leaves turn green. So many great uses in the garden as well.

Bottlebrush
Callistemon ‘All Aglow’
- Can grow up to 2.5m tall and 1.5m wide
- Origin: native Australian
- Erosion control and fast growing
- Loved by bees, nectar eating birds and butterflies

Available at Adelaide advanced trees

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Valley Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

19/09/2021

Thermal imaging, the latest addition to the tools that we use to save bees. Just this week we had multiple calls from people that need a hive removed e.g. from a wall or a stack of tires. This allows us to get a precise picture without disturbing the bees at all.

15/09/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
There are plenty of viburnums in my area and I have been noticing their beautiful flowers lately. The bees definitely have as well, they’ve been loving the nectar that comes from them. These can be shaped into a hedge or used for screening amongst many other possibilities.

Laurustinus
Viburnum tinus
- Can grow up to 2.5m tall and 2m wide
- Origin: Meditarrenaen area of Europe and North Africa
- Drought tolerant once established
- Loved by bees, butterflies and other pollinators

More information available under https://www.gardenia.net/plant/viburnum-tinus-laurustinus

Available at Adelaide Advanced Trees

Wondering what natives to plant instead? Have a chat to Coromandel Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

12/09/2021

It’s time to “super up”. That’s a term that’s used a lot amongst beekeepers at this time of year. A super is a box that is used as part of a hive and because the bees are increasing in numbers as the weather gets warmer, they need more room. I got to do exactly that this past week on some of my hives by doubling the space available. It’s very exciting thinking about how they’re doing so well and the prospect of harvesting some honey.

08/09/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Beekeeping is a journey and there is so much to learn. Sometimes the internet can’t provide all the answers and so it’s good to just observe nature. This week I noticed how the bees just loved the oak trees in the area. There was such an intense buzz. Right now I can’t find more information what it was but I will just trust the bees to know what they need and what’s good.

Wondering what natives to plant instead? Have a chat to Coromandel Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

05/09/2021

🎵
Oh, when the bees go marching in
Oh, when the bees go marching in…🎵

The beekeeping season has well and truly begun and I collected my first swarm this week. It was amazing to sit in front of the hive and watch the bees head inside. So much fun to watch and to experience being present in the middle of the buzz that slowly settles in their new home. Welcome to Jonny Bee Good Oz, ladies. You’ll experience great care.

01/09/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Look at those stunning flowers on this Leptospermum, I’ll have to convince my wife that we need one of these as well. On top of all the other bee friendly plants that we already have or will be getting. 😂🤦🏻

Leptospermum ‘Outrageous’
Leptospermum ‘Outrageous’ Tea Tree
- Up to 2m high, up to 2m wide
- Flowers in spring
- Origin: Australian native
- Perfect as a feature or screen plant in the garden
- Also a good habitat shrub for smaller birds, a variety of different bees as well as insects

Available from Coromandel Native Nursery

More information available under https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/leptospermum-outrageous-tea-tree/

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Valley Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

29/08/2021

Swarming season, it’s almost upon us. With the weather warming up this coming week it could cause a few colonies to swarm. Not sure if you’ve got a swarm, a hive or just a few scout bees?
A swarm is a clump of bees, often hanging from a branch but sometimes also hanging on a wall or the side of a building. They would be sending out a few scout bees to find themselves a new home and it’s best to have a beekeeper collect them right away before they make a home in a hard to reach place.
Scout bees might be flying into nesting boxes, wall cavities or tree hollows to see if they can find a good new home. Send me a message if you need a hand in deterring them from doing that.
A hive is an established bee colony that has been in a spot for quite some time and have called it home. They’ve started building comb out of wax and have started to store honey and so on. This can be removed, send me a message to discuss removal options.

25/08/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Why not plant some fruit trees and reward yourself while providing something for the bees? Apple, peach, nectarine, pear. Yummy home grown fruit. There are so many different options and they’re currently available at Sandersons.

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Valley Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

22/08/2021

Ponds, bird baths or just a bucket. The options for providing a water source for bees are varied. Bees will need lots of water as we head into summer, they use it for their evaporative cooling and as a drinking source. It’s good practice to put some rocks or corks in the water to allow the bees to easily land and not drown. As beekeepers we are required to always provide a source of water within 200m of our hives.

18/08/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Leptospermum “Cherish”, a beautiful hardy medium sized shrub with masses of flowers that are rich in nectar for bees.

Leptospermum ‘Cherish’
Leptospermum ‘Cherish’ Tea Tree
- Up to 2.5m high, up to 2m wide
- Flowers in spring
- Origin: Australian native
- Bushy habit makes it an ideal screening plant
- Prune well after flowers finish for a more dense habit and to encourage more flowering next season

Available from Coromandel Native Nursery

More information available under https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/leptospermum-cherish-tea-tree/

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Valley Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

15/08/2021

Registration and record keeping, a requirement for all beekeepers in South Australia. This week my renewal was due and so I updated the last little bit of my records and sent it to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions. It’s all been ticked off and so here’s to another year of beekeeping. Hopefully the rain will help with having less “NIL” entries in the column “Honey removed”.

11/08/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Grevillea Winpara Gem, a true local. It arose as a seedling on a property called “Winpara” near Tailem Bend in South Australia.

Grevillea Winpara Gem
Grevillea thelemannia x olivacea ‘Winpara Gem’
- Up to 2m high, up to 3m wide
- Flowers April to mid October
- Origin: Jervois, SA
- Grows vigorously in sandy or clay soils in a open and sunny position
- Loved by birds as well

Available from Adelaide Advanced Trees

More information available under http://www.anbg.gov.au/acra/descriptions/acc340.html

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Valley Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

08/08/2021

How do bees produce wax? This is something I get asked here and there but I am not always fully confident in answering so I figured I’d do a post about it.

Bees have eight special wax glands on the underside of the abdomen with which they excrete the wax. When wax is required, the worker bees fill themselves with honey which allows the wax to be secreted from these wax glands. To produce 1kg of wax more than 6kg of honey is needed.

04/08/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Lemon scented Myrtle, the flowers were described to me as “looking like soft fluffy clouds on a tree” by the guys at Adelaide Advanced Trees. The pictures definitely don’t do it justice as it is just reaching the end of its flowering cycle.

Lemon scented Myrtle
Backhousia citriodora
- 3-20m high, up to 5m wide
- Flowers summer to autumn
- Origin: north NSW and south QLD
- Plant in a sunny spot with well drained soil
- Can also be used for flavouring dishes, tea or for fragrant oils

Available from Adelaide Advanced Trees

More information available under https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/backhousia-citriodora-lemon-myrtle/

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to Coromandel Valley Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees, State Flora Nursery in Belair National Park or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/

01/08/2021

Nesting boxes and bees? This can sometimes cause problems. Bees that are swarming and are trying to find a new home might choose a nesting box as a location for their new hive. But if you attach a piece of carpet to the inside roof of your nesting box you can make it that little bit harder for bees to hang their comb. A great way of keeping other wildlife happy!

Are you looking to buy a nesting box? Check out Sandersons in Coromandel Valley.

28/07/2021

Flower Power Wednesday
Golden wattle, a beautiful one that’s currently flowering in the area. It is also Australia’s floral emblem. Not the best source available for bees but still helpful if there’s not much else around.

Golden wattle
Acacia pycnantha
- Up to 10m high, up to 6m wide
- Flowers winter to spring
- Origin: Australia
- Good for erosion control
- Flowers, seeds and bark can be used for multiple different things e.g. seeds can be eaten or can be ground into flour

Available from Coromandel Native Nursery

More information available under https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/acacia-pycnantha-wattle/

Wondering what other natives to plant? Have a chat to the Belair National Park nursery, Coromandel Native Nursery, Adelaide Advanced Trees or check out the search function by clicking on the following website, a fantastic tool. If you want to plant something that produces honey, don’t forget to choose “Honey producing plant” in the “Special Uses” section. Happy searching!
https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/plant-search/