10 replies to this topic

[jaded prol]

The promise of lush living --

 

 AA harvest 2.jpg   40.13K   1 downloads

[Bognoz]

Izzat the product of climate change?

I won't see flowers for weeks still.

[Kirk]

They don't call it July weed for nothing!

[Bognoz]

Seems to be nom de jour

for marijuana in Nevada.

[jaded prol]

AA bloomed on schedule here. Fennel is being harvested as well though the pollenaters have been doing a slap-dab job. Fewer bees so the seeds are fewer and uneven on the blooms with many flowers not pollenated. Still, I'll get a decent harvest because the plants are so large. Figs are still green but I'll be inundated in a week or so.

[Kirk]

I can't spit without hitting a bee here, I kept losing count but there are about 125,000 bees in 3 hives.

I didn't expect to see a difference right away but it's like night and day, every available stamen has been  thoroughly painted.

The bees attempt to pollinate only what they like the most, landing on the most attractive, perfumed bloom they will evolve the seed stock into bigger, more attractive (to a bee) fragrant flowers.

I can't imagine doing that by hand.

[artemis]

Figs are a 4th of July thing here.

Japanese plums (loquats) at Easter (most years - Easter not being tied to a calendar).

Blackberries at the end of school.

Bees few and far between.

The only thing I have going is habaneros, but the bush, over-wintered in the garage, is very strong and healthy, with fat bright orange peppers.

[TheGreenOne]

Mostly, bees pollinate the flowers they they can, kinda like people. And just like people, it's the wild ones that do the most pollinating. https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/untapped-capacity-our-4000-species-native-bees 

[Kirk]

Link is broke, I can't view any USGS data.

[TheGreenOne]

https://youtu.be/mHFh1SuyLcM

[Kirk]

Thanks!