Glossary
An overview of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) as a beekeeping forage crop, covering its rapid growth cycle, prolific nectar production, and the distinctive dark honey it produces. Buckwheat is one of the most effective plants a beekeeper can sow to fill summer nectar gaps.
Buckwheat is a fast-growing annual that goes from seed to bloom in 30-35 days, making it one of the quickest forage crops a beekeeper can establish. It blooms for 3-4 weeks, producing nectar most heavily in the morning hours. A quarter-acre planting can provide significant supplemental forage for 2-4 colonies during an otherwise lean period.
Buckwheat produces nectar under a wider range of conditions than most crops. It secretes nectar at lower temperatures and in drier soil conditions than many competing forage plants. This reliability makes it a consistent producer when weather conditions cause other plants to shut down nectar production.
The honey produced from buckwheat nectar is unlike any other American honey: very dark brown to nearly black, with a bold, malty, molasses-like flavor and a pungent aroma that people either love or dislike intensely. It has the highest antioxidant content of any common American honey variety.
Research has shown that buckwheat honey is particularly effective for cough suppression. A 2007 study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found buckwheat honey was more effective than dextromethorphan (a standard OTC cough suppressant) for relieving nighttime cough in children.
Plant buckwheat 4-5 weeks before you want bloom. The most valuable timing is to fill your region's summer nectar dearth. In many areas, planting in late June or July provides August bloom during the late-summer gap. You can plant successive crops for extended bloom.
A quarter-acre provides meaningful forage for 2-4 colonies. Even small plantings (a backyard garden patch) provide supplemental forage. Broadcast seed at 70-80 pounds per acre (or about 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet for garden plots). No fertilizer is typically needed.
Yes. Buckwheat is an excellent cover crop that suppresses weeds, breaks up compacted soil with its root system, accumulates phosphorus from deep soil layers, and adds organic matter when tilled in. As a green manure, it improves soil for subsequent crops while feeding your bees.
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