One of the issues most fruit growers is pollination of their fruit plants. Blue honeysuckle are particularly a challenge as they are self fertile and need pollen from another suitable plant from the species. One of the early possibilities is solitary bee species who are resident in the area and who emerge early in spring. One source of ideas is the Instructables web site. If you type in Solitary bee there are a number of simple housing projects which come up and are reasonable for anyone who is handy with a saw and electric drill.
Here is a link to one that I thought was quite artistic.
Interestingly
Lee Valley also now carries one made of plastic.
There are many resources on the internet regarding Mason Bees and others who might serve well in the early season pollinating process.
Here is what the result can look like!
How I hope this summer can be a good producer again!
Found this
site with so many wonderful looking possible choices to build. Enjoy!
3 comments:
May 15, 2013 our 'practice' plants in our home garden had bloomed and there were wild bumblebees on them on May 23, definitely flying from the two pollenizers to the two Borealis that we have there. I'm confident we'll get berries from those 4 three-year old plants this year. We planted our first 1000 plants in the 'home orchard' on May 25, and the other 9000 will be planted on June 8/9 in the commercial orchard, 2013. Great week for us! The dormant plants we planted Saturday are already showing signs of life!! Bee & Thistle Berry Orchard, Debden, SK
May 15, 2013 our 'practice' plants in our home garden had bloomed and there were wild bumblebees on them on May 23, definitely flying from the two pollenizers to the two Borealis that we have there. I'm confident we'll get berries from those 4 three-year old plants this year. We planted our first 1000 plants in the 'home orchard' on May 25, and the other 9000 will be planted on June 8/9 in the commercial orchard, 2013. Great week for us! The dormant plants we planted Saturday are already showing signs of life!! Bee & Thistle Berry Orchard, Debden, SK
Thanks for the comment. Hope it goes well for you. It is quite an enterprise to undertake.
Clayton
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