Plants to attract good insects?

[mic]

Hi

So far I've seen loads of bees around the broad beans and found lots of ladybirds on the leaves. I've picked the ladybirds up on sight and put on pepper and chilli plants in the GH, but am a bit reluctant to try catch a bee to put on the cuc plants.
Did wonder for next year if there's any flowers I could grow around the front of the GH that might naturally attract more good bugs in?

Cheers

[Snadger]

Chives,borage and comfrey are the main plants I have seen loads of bees around! Their must be hundreds more though.

[bario1]

I plant marigolds in my tunnel Borders amongst the tomatoes. I don't know if they really attract more pollinators in, but they look nice!

[Penellype]

Hi

So far I've seen loads of bees around the broad beans and found lots of ladybirds on the leaves. I've picked the ladybirds up on sight and put on pepper and chilli plants in the GH, but am a bit reluctant to try catch a bee to put on the cuc plants.
Did wonder for next year if there's any flowers I could grow around the front of the GH that might naturally attract more good bugs in?

Cheers

If the issue is simply with the cucumber (I've found these nearly impossible to hand pollinate), the best solution may be to buy an all female variety which doesn't need pollinating. I like the small cucumbers as I can't eat a big one in one sitting, and Cucino is superb. There are plenty of others though.

[mothhawk]

You don't need bees.....

"Peppers depend on the wind for pollination, but in a sheltered location or greenhouse, the air circulation isn't strong enough to shake the plant's branches. To ensure complete fertilization, many gardeners tap the pepper plant branches every day, shaking the flowers so the anthers release the pollen onto the stigma. Other gardeners use devices such as electric toothbrushes to vibrate the plants and flowers. Placing a fan in the greenhouse can also increase air circulation and gently shake the flowers.

Temperature Ranges
Peppers prefer warm temperatures as they grow, producing flowers and fruit in temperatures over 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night and up to 85 degrees in daytime. If temperatures fall below 60 degrees or rise above 90 degrees, the plants react by dropping their flowers and immature fruits.

Adequate Humidity
The optimum level for pollination is between 60 and 80 percent humidity. If the air is too dry, the pollen dries out and may not stick to the stigma. If the air is too moist, the pollen is too sticky, clumping on the stigma and not completely fertilizing the flower. An incompletely fertilized fruit develops with the seeds on the inside and the unfertilized sections exposed on the outside of the fruit's skin."

So keep nicely humid and warm, and tickle them every day

[mothhawk]

Oh, and ladybirds don't do the pollination thing, but they are very partial to greenfly