Pollinators Wanted

[guywhofishes]

WTH?

 

[Davey Crockett]

last couple of years we saw a noticeable decline but this year there are hardly any at all, For years we have had to wait till early morning or late evening to pick strawberries because of the bees , Not the case this year. Going to get honey bees set out next year.

 

[JayKay]

I have seen ONE Bumbly Bee and no honey bee this summer. I even plant bright flowers around my garden to attract them but see very little as far as bees go.

I have a quite robust colony of bumblebees right beside my garage door. Keep telling the kids to leave them alone. I see many many per day. Yet, our zucchini in the backyard are in the midst of a paltry season. Maybe mother nature needs a hand?

 

[LBrandt]

A lot of beans planted around me this year and if they spray for bugs it might be doing the bees in. We have solid beans and sugar beets in a mile or so radius.

 

[BDub]

Despite the weather my garden is looking great. I do have bees around, must be lucky.

The heat may not be helping. I have been watering a lot plus fertilizing every week. The tomatoes are loaded. Now if the hail stays away. It's hailed 4 times at my place. Luckily only the last batch was of any size.

 

[Lycanthrope]

your growing the wrong cucumbers if yours need pollinating....

 

[PrairieGhost]

The honey bee population is crashing in North America and we don't know why yet.

As to pollination I had the same problem with squash a few years ago. I got up very early one morning and there was a black bee of some species gathering the pollen. The sucker never went to a female plant. I had to get up at sunrise or earlier to beat the little buggers to the pollen and use a brush to pollinate the females. In the end I got 60 some very nice buttercup off three plants. Or maybe it was three hills. I remember the number of squash, but not plants I guess.

 

[BDub]

your growing the wrong cucumbers if yours need pollinating....

Good call. I knew something just didn't sound right. Lots still plant Straight Eights which need pollinators. I gave up on those long ago. They are prone to disease.

 

[LBrandt]

My "vagen raping" pollination went quite well with 9 out of 10 taking hold. Will have some real good slicers in a week or so. Have seen a couple of bumbley bees around my cucumber patch so will see if they are getting the job done.