How much honey to leave?

[Finski]

.
3 mediums is same volume as 2 langstroth.

2 boxes honey =30 kg is awfully much. There is no idea to winter with honey.
Sugar is as good.

Sugar or honey, it has no meaning how fast is spring build up.

Only things which affects to spring build up is
- the cluster size
- pollen stores after winter and timing to get it from nature
- heat economy of the hive structure.

[T Beek]

All beekeeping is local.

What works in one region may not work as well someplace else. 

If 1 super of honey above the broodnest works why change or add another?  If your bees consistantly have honey to spare come Spring, then you've discovered the proper amount to leave IMO.

t

[Finski]

All beekeeping is local.

especially in USA, which is from Florida's  jungles to Alaska's tundras.

Texas State is 3 times that of Britain's land area.

[wayne]

 So many things to think about. The strain of the bees, the local weather, your managment style, the style of hive and what its made of, all come into play. 

[Finski]

.
Our winter is so long and difficult that we have not much choice what to do.

When hives are feeded in September, we do not touch hives before than in March.
Thereis nothing to do them. Bees cannot go out and if we disturb them, they rush out to die.

 Why to give 50 kg winter food to the hive if they manage to over winter with 20 kg?

 Our bee researcher got 10 Macedonian queens and tried how they live here.
First 5 died next winter and the rest on second winter.

One Macedonian was on balance and prepared like any other hives. Hives had no brood on winter but they consumedso much that food ceased very soo. The speed was 80 kg in a winter and one box can have only 25 kg food.

Guys have bought  nucs from New Zealand. One guy bought 10 nucs and all died in next winter.

If hive has brood in Autumn, it will die before December. You may add food but however bees become old without winter rest and die in Marsh when we have still full winter.

.

[Michael Bush]

It depends on the size of the cluster how much they need for winter.  There is no point leaving 60 pounds of honey for three frames of bees.  There is no hope leaving three frames of honey for ten frames of bees.  I like two frames of capped honey for every frame of bees, but I would settle for one.  Two gives them enough that they will build up well in the spring.  One usually gets them by.