community in Nevada
Honey bee forage in Gardnerville, Nevada
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Nevada. Against other Nevada sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gardnerville?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gardnerville, 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 Apr 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, maples; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 321 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early 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 Gardnerville
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 50% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Gardnerville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 74th | 77th | 63rd |
| Nevada | 100th | 100th | 99th | 39th |
| Central Basin and Range | 99th | 99th | 97th | 33rd |
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 Gardnerville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Valley 2 mi · Minden 2 mi · Gardnerville Ranchos 3 mi · Ruhenstroth 4 mi · Fish Springs 5 mi · Carter Springs 7 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 Gardnerville (38.939, -119.7369); 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.