community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Gardner, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Expect a dearth from early Jul to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Gardner?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Mar (oranges, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Dec 15
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gardner, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Feb 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): oranges, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); amber
- Whole season (March to November): oranges, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Oranges: about 893 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi N, blooms late Feb – early Apr
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Gardner
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Central Florida Pine Wet Flatwoods; Oranges.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.07 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Oranges: insecticides used on about 93% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Gardner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 99th | 11th | 17th |
| Florida | 94th | 94th | 59th | 17th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 94th | 94th | 59th | 17th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Gardner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Limestone 7 mi · Zolfo Springs 9 mi · Arcadia 11 mi · Ona 11 mi · Wauchula 13 mi · Southeast Arcadia 13 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Gardner (27.363, -81.7863); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.