Pollination

[RogueRose]

I'm a little concerned about pollination with the lack of bees. My lawn has a lot of clover, I got a hydrangea, roses. Last year I had a wildflower clump which seemed to attract some bumbles. I am worried specifically about my melons and tomatoes. Do I need to pollinate these things when they come in? I have plenty of moths and butterflies but I dunno if these are sufficient. This is my first time with tomatoes and melons.

[jal_ut]

Tomatoes are pretty much self fertile. A little shake by the wind gets the job done. Melons need some help. No bees around? Clover will attract honey bees if there are any around.

[rainbowgardener]

Tomatoes are self pollinating; they don't need insect pollinators and you don't need to worry about them.

The melons do need pollinators, but they are not hard to hand pollinate. They have separate male and female flowers, so you can just break a male flower off and use it to pollinate the female one. Instructions are in this thread:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=217045#217045

[RogueRose]

Thanks! Hopefully I'll have some more bees when the melons come around if not, I will pollinate them.

I haven't seen any bees on my clover and I have A LOT of clover. It's been rainy and cloudy here lately tho so that might be why.

[RogueRose]

When the sun comes out, so will the bees. Ours have been huddled in the hive for the past two days because of high winds, despite warmth and sunshine. All pollinators aren't bees. Butterflies and wasps also pollinate, just not as efficiently as honeybees.

I counted 2 bumbles today....and some of those little green waspy fly looking bees. I couldn't count all the butterflies.