Pollination???

[Rovingarcher]

I just read the latest edition of Alaska Magazine, and was a nice article on the Meyers Farm in Bethel.What I want to know is don't you folks have a pollination problem for your produce that requires bees.Do you have lots of wild bees around Bethel? GR

[Alaska Grandma]

What I want to know is don't you folks have a pollination problem for your produce that requires bees.Do you have lots of wild bees around Bethel? GR

I can't really answer your question as to what happens in Bethel, but in my neck of the woods and in the Interior in general the bumblebees do most of the pollination. Lots of other insects love to get into the flowers as well.

Grandma Lori

[upinak]

Depending on what is being pollinated, I usually do that myself with the tip of my finger. Tomatoes is usually the "pollinatee".

[Rovingarcher]

I have had...

Problems with pollination.I use to raise honey bees, but was really tough here in the mts to winter them over.The yellow jackets took a toll also.I too have increased my production by self pollinating zuccini and hubbard sq.GR

[Michael]

Ah yes honey bees. My father-in-law and I used to have abut 50 hives out on his farm. I kept 2 hives right next to the garden in town. Pretty amazing how much garden production went up pre and post bees.

If you want a prime black bear find a bee keeper that is pollinating cherries. We used to put up an electric fence around the hives, with chain link fencing laying on the ground. We used a weed burner electric unit and it usually worked pretty well. We never lost any hives but you could sure see the ground tore up after they got a good sniff of the wire.

Good times and great memories.

[Alaska Grandma]

Depending on what is being pollinated, I usually do that myself with the tip of my finger. Tomatoes is usually the "pollinatee".

Yeah, fingers work well
I also keep a nice soft paint brush out in the greenhouse too.

Grandma Lori

[grcg]

Qtip

We have bees around the plants, but I get a little greedy when it comes to the cherry tomatoes and peppers and I help them along when I can.

I use a qtip. Then if I care about cross-pollinating I can use the other side. Won't keep the bees from crossing varieties - but it's enough for me.

[upinak]

There is also a "Fan" you can just turn it on and close the window (if you have on in a greenhouse) or your vent to it and let the pollen blow around. My Best Friend does this with her tom and cukes, and a few other things. She stopped using lady bugs.. and opens the door when the sun is at it's hottest, which is usually 5 PM here. The bees eventually make it in for a couple of hours.