Broadie Question

[mew]

Ive seen a post on another forum saying that some folk havent had any broadies from the flowers - something about a lack of bees around. I was just wondering if anyone else is having the same problem? At the moment mine are flowering and have been for a week or so, ive just gone and had a look at them and a few are just starting to die off now - how do I know if theyve been polinated, what am I looking for and can I polinate them myself with a small soft paint brush or something - although the latter option looks a little fiddley.

Thanks as always

MEW
xx

[ina]

No idea - but I have the feeling that my cherry tree hasn't come up with lots of cherries, either, although it had more blossom than ever before... And there's not a single damson on the tree, either.
So there might be something in this lack of bees problem. I'll have a look at my broad beans (couldn't imagine at first what you meant with "broadies" !); they are flowering now, too.

[Andy Hamilton]

Apparently mobile phone and wireless signals are interfering with the bee population which is why there are reports that not so many are around. Put a mobile phone in front of a bee hive and they don't go in.

Anyway, not noticed much of a difference this year so far. My broad beans went in a bit late so have not flowered yet, Dave planted his in October and had been enjoying a crop for a while now.

If anything I have noticed more bees on my allotment this year, more wildlife in general actually. I think this is something to do with the fact that my comfrey is flowering and always covered in bees, herbs are flowering and also loads of wild flowers have been planted so I expect them to keep coming.

In short make sure that plants that attract them are planted and it will help.

I can't think of any other way of seeing if they have pollinated except for having beans growing on them.