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Old 13-07-2009, 07:27 PM
beccabunga beccabunga is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Davy[_2_] View Post
My crop of mangetout is well down on last year and my runner beans are
not setting at all.

Earlier in the year we had more honey bees than for years; but none now.
Instead we have lots of bumble bees, as many as a dozen on a single
flowering plant - but none on the runner beans. The RHS state that
bumble bees cannot polinate runner beans. The runner flowers are
completely devoid of insects. I have allowed red and white clover to
flower in my lawn and they have a fair number of bumble bees too.

What are others experience this year - are your peas and beans covered
in bees?

DAvy
The trouble with bumblebees on runners is that they pierce through the stem end of the flower and do not pick up the pollen. I think you may need to be patient - I have two friends picking runners already.