city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Garden City, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Garden City?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Garden City, 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 May 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
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 Garden City
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.56 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.89 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 100% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Garden City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 74th | 72nd | 78th |
| Michigan | 55th | 78th | 49th | 88th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 10th | 91st | 8th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Garden City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Westland 2 mi · Inkster 2 mi · Dearborn Heights 3 mi · Wayne 4 mi · Livonia 5 mi · Dearborn 7 mi
All towns in Michigan · National map · How the scoring works
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 Garden City (42.3244, -83.3412); 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.