Urban flow hive questions

Would like to start beekeeping but want advice on urban gardens. What’s the minimum size garden? what about neighbours? What about cats from neighbours in the garden? Any feed back would be great.

Not quite sure of your question. This is not necessarily a gardening forum, more of a beekeeping/flow frame use forum.

For beekeeping, these will travel up to 2 miles easily from their home to gather pollen and nectar as needed. Having something right in front of them might be a benefit but not necessary. Having a garden right in front of them does not ensure that they will only pollinate that garden.

As for cats and other varmints not sure about your garden, as for the bees, depending on the past you may need to put a small screen around it, but typically not necessary if you’re in a urban area

Apologies you misunderstood my question and thanks for the info. Just trying to understand If you can and can’t keep bees in an urban garden/ backyard and what I should be aware of.

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I had bees in my backyard in the city for 28 years or more. Local ordinances are the real issue. The bees don’t know anything about property lines and will forage the 8,000 acres around the hive.

I to have go mine in my side yard, just need to plan check local ordinances and laws. here are mine on the side of my house. you can see my fence. Nabor’s house is about the same distance away as my is to the fence.

https://ride.smugmug.com/Honey-Bees

It would help to know where in the world you are. You have not given any clues in your profile. I am very familiar with the regulations on urban beekeeping in the San Diego region of California, USA, but that won’t help you if you are in Australia. :wink:

Some general principles:

  1. You need to comply with local regulations as stated above.
  2. Bees like sunny hives, try to choose a location which gets sun for most of the morning, and perhaps some shade in the afternoon.
  3. If possible, face the hive entrance into sun - south-facing in the northern hemisphere, north-facing in the antipodes.
  4. Do not face the hive entrance over a frequently trafficked area, such as a lawn, swimming pool, trampoline, public footpath, highway etc. If you have not choice about that, then consider erecting at 6ft high insect proof barrier around the hive to force the bees above head height when they leave the hive. They will be less of a nuisance that way!

As far as “can you do it” - yes you can. I have a hive in our relatively small back garden. We selected a gentle strain of bees, and they are no problem at all. However, we have a lot of beekeeping experience. I also have a second hive in a neighborhood Community Garden (allotment/veggie garden concept) and despite the other 40 gardeners knowing very little about bees, it has caused no problems at all in the whole of the last season. It is about 10 feet away from the nearest plot. It has helped peoples’ attitude that we are donating 20% of our honey crop to the local food bank (gardeners do the same) and we are willing to offer honey to fellow gardeners for minimal cost, when we have some to spare.

Hope you decide to try it out. If you want more specific help, perhaps you can help us to help you by giving an approximate location (nearest city would be great) and I am sure you will get some better advice.

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My local regs say it must be at least 10m from thw nearest neighbours building, have a screen to force them above head height and gave a water source for the bees.

I would suggest, once you know more about it, asking your neighbours about it too. You’ll have a lot easier time if they are on board.

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Longreef,

Yip ! If your local city laws allow you … You have a GREEN Light :exclamation:I’ve got only a 30 x 65’ back yard n raising five hive. Presently only one is a Flow-Hive.

Here’s my set-up::

. The bees share the yard with my veggie garden, chickens n small woodshop.

I never said you should comply with them… just that you need to know them… :wink:

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