Pollinating my fruit bushs.

[boldielocks]

I've got two blackberry bushes I bought. I've planted one in my garden and one in my allotment. Will I need to try and pollinate them with the flowers from each plant because my allotment is a couple of miles away.

[boldielocks]

[Eristic]

I think you can safely leave that job to the bees.

[saddad]

Never any problem with brambles pollinating... flowering in the height of summer ( whatever that is...) As Eristic says the bees will do the business...  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Brambles supply most of my honey; they're an ace bee plant!

[PurpleHeather]

I am getting a little worried about bees, I have not seen any but have noticed that some blossoms are coming, the spring flowers are out but not one bee anywhere to be found.

As for fruit bushes, it is surprising just how many people have them in the gardens and we do not know about it so there is not a great problem with getting one bush pollinated, the low flying bugs and bees are specially made for the work they have a long range too.

I did see two ladybirds yesterday but no bees.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't worry, bees are far from being the only pollinators around! Honeybees aren't very important this early, as colonies are small and they're only flying when the sun comes out. They don't fly far this time of year. Bumblebees are around, but only the queens at this stage. But there are also flies, beetles, solitary bees and numerous other insects. Numbers are down this year due to two dreadful summers, but with the warmer weather, pollination will happen. The only time you really have to worry is when we get cold weather at blossom time, and nothing is flying. I've had the odd year, for instance, when I haven't had a single plum due to a cold snap.

[PurpleHeather]

Saw a huge one today in the strawberry bed. No flowers there for it. Might have been a queen

[artichoke]

I have been delighted to see a number of gigantic bumble bees skimming over the grass, probably looking for nesting sites.