Originally Posted by: DEW

We have an amazing display of hollyhocks this year, and until a couple of days ago all were still upright. Now I've had to go round with the twine.

A couple of observations on bees and hollyhocks (a) bees prefer those closest in colour to red (b) there are fewer bees visiting this year than usual and although the flowers were always more popular with bumbles, honey bees are all but absent this year. (This may be a function of where hives are being kept, of course)

But the fennel is proving very popular with hoverflies, though not bees.

My borage is late this year from self sown stock but bees love the blue flowers. Fennel is a popular plant with hoverflies of which there are many this year as indeed bumble bees in various kinds. But honeybees are noticeable by their absence this year. A plus of the damp weather is the general verdant/odoriferousness of the garden which encourages me to give this summer an 8/10 up to now for gardening.

Not gardening but sea related. Whitebait (young herring or sprats), a staple part of bass and mackerel diets are completely absent this year off Dorset. Whether that's a result of the long cold spring or a worrying crash in herring/sprat stocks, or even something else I have no idea. It's noticeable off the South Coast in general from other anecdotal reports.

I knew that bee colours were different to human ones, but not the detail. It would be interesting to see my hollyhocks in bee vision, but what I saw was a definite order of preference [Red, pink, maroon] > white > [cream, pinkish-yellow]. It is of course possible that the red group were producing more nectar; pollen amounts appear similar.

A few more interesting links on bees, conservation and related issues. Enjoy.

Life lessons from beekeepers – stop mowing the lawn, don't pave the driveway and get used to bugs in your salad
https://theconversation.com/life-lessons-from-beekeepers-stop-mowing-the-lawn-dont-pave-the-driveway-and-get-used-to-bugs-in-your-salad-164591

Why invertebrates should be included in animal welfare protections | New Scientist
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133452-200-why-invertebrates-should-be-included-in-animal-welfare-protections/

Garden of weeds takes home gold at Royal Horticultural Society show
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/25/weed-thriller-garden-weeds-takes-home-gold-royal-horticultural/

Invasive species have cost UK at least £5bn since 1970s, study reveals | Invasive species | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/29/invasive-species-have-cost-the-uk-at-least-5bn-since-1970s-study-reveals-aoe

Roger

Edited by user 30 July 2021 07:03:27(UTC)  | Reason: +bold

After a couple of years on the waiting list we've managed to get an allotment! It was completely overgrown so I've strimmed it and covered with black membrane to leave over Winter. 

One section had been covered so I'm just starting to work on that and the soil looks very nice indeed. There's one or two things I can plant now and I'm starting with some potatoes which I hope will be ready for Christmas. 

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons

I was pleased to note 12 colonies of black garden ants having a "Flying Ant Day" today. Tuesday, 10th August.
The nests were glistening with a torrent of alates off on their nuptial flight at 17.00hrs.
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/when-why-winged-ants-swarm-nuptial-flight.html
Roger

Hello Roger.

Our daschund has been busy licking the odd ant off of the patio slabs but when the fly day came he was overwhelmed and wouldn't go out, shaking on the doormat (pathetic)  leaving them to the mercy of the customary dozens of gulls.

On a bee note, the weather conditions have been ideal for perpetuating our flowering plants this year and we have many different bees and hoverflies busy in the petals. It's no doubt thanks to both these groups that our flowering veg is doing so well. As yet, barely any wasps though.

I usually grow a row of runner beans that get unruly, difficult to pick and produce far too many.  So this year I set just nine climbing French beans up three wigwams, to make them easy to pick.  

We’ve been harvesting them for a couple of weeks but today, I’ve supplied my sister with a bag full to freeze, have frozen some myself and supplied my neighbour, who pegs a bag on the fence, labelled ‘Wendy’s bean bag’. 

I’m actually getting a much better crop, possibly because I can see them all!  

Originally Posted by: Caz

I usually grow a row of runner beans that get unruly, difficult to pick and produce far too many.  So this year I set just nine climbing French beans up three wigwams, to make them easy to pick.  

We’ve been harvesting them for a couple of weeks but today, I’ve supplied my sister with a bag full to freeze, have frozen some myself and supplied my neighbour, who pegs a bag on the fence, labelled ‘Wendy’s bean bag’. 

I’m actually getting a much better crop, possibly because I can see them all!  

I think it's really great that there's wider benefit from your growing skills. Runners have caused us grief for some years, mostly due to blackfly and drought, but this year they are doing well. But we too have had the issue of nearly-none, then too many, then none again. But I'm hoping the crop will spread across the season this year.

Fingers crossed!

Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle

 

I think it's really great that there's wider benefit from your growing skills. Runners have caused us grief for some years, mostly due to blackfly and drought, but this year they are doing well. But we too have had the issue of nearly-none, then too many, then none again. But I'm hoping the crop will spread across the season this year.

 

Fingers crossed!

Good luck with the runners. 

5 packs of Runner Beans sliced and parboiled. Cooled, then placed in Freezer.  Scarlet Runner has now been taken down.

Originally Posted by: ARTzeman

Tomatoes are being harvested this week before the wind blows them from the plants.

Are they growing well inside the green house I assumed?  Tomatoes hate cold and wet weather which I want to grow some when i get a green house.