BEES IN THE GARDEN...

What busy bees they are zooming from plant to plant pollinating everything in sight. But is that the problem when some are overlooked and fruit does not set, or do they just get distracted?

Too much pussyfooting by the look of it.

Our passion fruit is covered in flowers and only four fruit have set so far. It will be necessary to hand pollinate this season.

Most of the flowers on the Burbank dropped to the ground leaving just eight despite a well covered Santa Rosa close by with one plum only and a couple of apples only on Spendour which is probably to be expected in the first year. Same for the newly planted Black Amber plum with one plum only.

The sweet navel orange has reached production and the bees swarmed over it, but didn't bother too much with the passion fruit near by. Spoilt for choice? Too fussy? Or is it all down to the falling bee population

Hanging around picking and choosing seems to be the way for some who like to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee... but we could do with a bit more punch from these guys.