Broad Bean Fury

[Vegmonkey]

Mine are flowering like mad, being attacked by blackfly, and being pollinated by bees. This could go anyway! I've pinched most of the tops out to stop the blackfly, and am hoping the pods will start appearing soon!

[moggssue]

I have Sutton, about 2-3feet tall at the mo with flowers just about to appear. There seem to be little black dots inside the buds, cant tell if these are flowers or blackfly and dont want to disturb them to find out! Will see what happens re pollination and let you know, just for the record! These long tongued bees Cutec - is there anything we can do to help them and encourage them? I have no idea whether I have this type of bee in my garden, there are certainly lots of bees around in my area, and I'd be interested in trying to help them recover their numbers (but without going as far as taking on a hive).

[Cutecumber]

Broad bean flowers have black dots on them, so if they don't move, they're not blackfly!!

And as for the bees, it's ok - you won't need a hive! lol!

Bumblebees make nests, or use nests made by other creatures (at ground level or underground). What we should do is to help increase the supply of pollen all year round.

Useful flowers particularly for long-tongued bees include:
honeysuckle
clovers
vetches
greater knapweed
comfrey (although this goes beserk if you're not careful)

exotic species and bedding plants don't cut the mustard!

here is a useful website that I found

buglife

[moggssue]

duhhh, shows what I know then!! I've just planted two honeysuckles against my brand new fence, I'll have a look at that website and hopefully find anohter couple of fence disguising plants that will help the bees. If not, I'll just have to make the bed a little wider and fit some stuff in there for them. It upsets me to think of losing yet more species that we can all easily help along a little.

[Cutecumber]

Well I learnt a lot whilst researching about the pollination problems of my broad beans - we already have a few flowers species which they like, which is great, but I shall consider a few more which give a spread over the year.

[moggssue]

If you find anything they particularly like let me know - long as it doesnt spread too much cos I only have a ikkle plot! I'm starting to wonder if i can get them to nest in the garden as well, have to do a bit of research ...

[Cutecumber]

Honeysuckle is definitely popular - we have some and they love it early in the year when there's not much else.

You can buy or make nesting boxes, but I have no idea how successful these are.

I have a real soft spot for the big bumbles - it would be great to think you could find them a home.

[moggssue]

I'm away to research how/where they nest (just dont tell my OH!). The only really early flowers I have at the mo are winter jasmine which flower in Jan/Feb but I've never seen any bees around then. Definitely need more thought/research here.