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daisypetal70
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Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:37 pm
Location: Wausau WI

raised bed growth

I am having issues with all my gardens. The peas, onions, beans and tomatoes did great in the raised bed. However, the cucumbers, melons have not. I noticed that all around the yard even my flowers and veggies not in raised beds didn't produce the same foliage as it usually does. The lilies lasted a week of blooming, my zucchini bed produced flowers but no fruit yet. Even my pumpkin patch is only flowering not producing anything.

Not having that much experience, only been planting for a little over 7 years, I haven't come across this issue. I have noticed there are no bees or bugs like we have had in years past either. Is that part of the problem or can it be the soil? Any advice is welcome.

bobbyg
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You can hand pollinate if not enough bees. Also plant some bee loving plants nearby.

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

It is worth noting: "The peas, onions, beans and tomatoes did great in the raised bed. " All of these are self pollinating and do not require bees or other pollinators.

"However, the cucumbers, melons have not. ... my zucchini bed produced flowers but no fruit yet. Even my pumpkin patch is only flowering not producing anything. " All of these require insect pollinators. Zucchinis and pumpkins that flower but don't fruit, would likely because the flowers (presuming you have both male and female flowers present), did not get pollinated.

". I have noticed there are no bees or bugs like we have had in years past either." This would be the problem, that your pollinators disappeared. Did you or someone near you spray poisons? Bees are in big trouble in this country (and maybe elsewhere, I don't know) due to a variety of stresses they are under, including the use of multiple poisons. Bees are exposed to dozens of different pesticides (and herbicides, fungicides, etc) every day. Many of these chemicals, though harmless to bees individually have synergistic effects, combine to be very harmful.

https://www.panna.org/sites/default/fil ... ay2012.pdf

https://www.science-live.org/bees/about/ ... ouble.html

As bobbyg said, one thing you can do is plant lots of bee-friendly flowers in your garden -- and DON'T use poisons!

This lists a few good flowers for honeybees: https://fafard.com/terrific-flowers-for-honey-bees/

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daisypetal70
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Location: Wausau WI

Thanks everyone. The neighbor did have his lawn sprayed this year. We don't spray any chemicals. Planting flowers for honey bees is a great idea. Guess I will have to be the pollinator this season.

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rainbowgardener
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If you are on friendly terms with your neighbors, maybe you can mention to them that you haven't seen bees or other pollinators this year. Ask if they notice the same thing. Maybe find a way to casually wonder if it could have anything to do with chemicals being sprayed in the neighborhood.



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