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Post by nightofjoy on Apr 28, 2014 13:21:17 GMT
Hi.Hope this is an appropriate request.
We have a large patio balcony on our appartment and are keen to include plants to attract and support bees.
I was wondering, does there exist, or can you suggest a list of plants - the kind available from garden centres or b&q which can be placed in pots for this purpose?
Thanks
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Post by Tel on Apr 28, 2014 13:57:02 GMT
Welcome to Garden Friends.  There is a lot of annuals/bedding plants, that are good for bees. I will suggest for one, is the small bedding dahlia with the open centers. |
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Post by daitheplant on Apr 28, 2014 18:02:21 GMT
Basically, anything that flowers. The more flowers you have, the more bees and hover flies you will get. Very often, people forget that hover flies are just as important as bees in the garden.
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Post by SueA on Apr 28, 2014 20:45:19 GMT
As the others have said nightofjoy basically anything with a single type open flower or plants such as foxgloves & penstemons with a 'cup' type flower are good for bees etc., lavender is great for them too. There's a link here to the RHS which has lists you can download :- Bee friendly plants |
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Post by Cherry on Apr 29, 2014 5:34:12 GMT
Welcome to the forums. It would be good to know in which direction the patio faces.
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Post by nightofjoy on Apr 29, 2014 12:57:36 GMT
Hmm. It's my gf's balcony and I'm not sure which way it faces. I'd been given the impression that not all flowers are of particular interest to been, and that there are certain pollen/nectar rich varieties to look out for? I think I'm going to try to find a number of plants which I've been made aware of through various online sources (Choysya, Hebes, Potentilla, Nepeta, Viola, Geranium, Lavatera & so on) and also plant up a wild container. That should keep the stripey little chaps happy |
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Post by Cherry on Apr 29, 2014 13:23:45 GMT
Just as SueA wrote above - single flowers are best. |
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Post by SueA on Apr 29, 2014 18:18:04 GMT
All those you've mentioned should do well nightofjoy & look good too, just make sure you get slow growing or compact forms of things like lavatera or choisya. Lavatera 'Barnsley Baby' would be good in a pot. |
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Post by nightofjoy on Apr 29, 2014 18:31:06 GMT
Here's a related question.
I like to grow container tomatoes over the summer. All of my plants are 18" - 24" tall now and have been placed outside now that the stems are strong enough to take the elements.
I've bought a pack of mixed wild flower seeds which are supposed to attract bees. Is there any reason why I can't scatter a few in the earth around each potted tomato plant? They're in large pots, and I'd keep an eye on how tall the wild flowers were getting, so as not to shade the toms.
Thanks.
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Post by SueA on Apr 29, 2014 18:55:30 GMT
You could give it a try nightofjoy, the only thing I can think of is that wildflowers are supposed to grow better on ground which isn't very fertile & as you'd be feeding your tomatoes or at the very least planting them in fairly rich compost it might be too much for the wildflowers. You could try growing French marigolds (tagetes) around your tomatoes, they're supposed to stop whitefly attacking the toms. due to the scent they give off. |
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Post by nightofjoy on Apr 29, 2014 19:11:51 GMT
You could give it a try nightofjoy, the only thing I can think of is that wildflowers are supposed to grow better on ground which isn't very fertile & as you'd be feeding your tomatoes or at the very least planting them in fairly rich compost it might be too much for the wildflowers. You could try growing French marigolds (tagetes) around your tomatoes, they're supposed to stop whitefly attacking the toms. due to the secnt they give off. Yeah, I'll give it a shot. Can't hurt to scatter a few seeds around the base. It'll be a while before I'm feeding the toms, so the flowers may have time to get their foot in..... Cheers. |
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