city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Garden Ridge, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in fall (62nd percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Garden Ridge?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Garden Ridge, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, 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
- Corn: about 91 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 4 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 Ridge
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.22 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi S.
How Garden Ridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 75th | 23rd | 49th |
| Texas | 73rd | 54th | 51st | 62nd |
| Edwards Plateau | 96th | 33rd | 73rd | 22nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 48% 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 Garden Ridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Selma 4 mi · Schertz 6 mi · Universal City 6 mi · Live Oak 6 mi · Cibolo 7 mi · Randolph AFB 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 Garden Ridge (29.6365, -98.2925); 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.