Mar 22nd, 2009
Come on Bees, Requesting Back Up
Today, I did some pollinating. My Peach tree is in full flower, with not a single bee in sight. So I did the only thing I could do in the circumstances and got out my paint-brush for a spot of hand pollination. It was quite relaxing really, dusting the pollen from the stamen to the stigma (the only Biology lesson where I totally listened). Dibbing here and dabbing there – yes very satisfying. Of course the Victorian country gardeners would traditionally have done this with a rabbit’s tail fastened to a long stick. But, hmm rabbit’s tail? Where do you find one of those? And don’t say on the end of a rabbit – come on, whaddya expect, I’m vegetarian!
Of course, no sooner had I finished hand pollinating my Peach tree and cursing the bees for being so tardy, then along comes one, bold as brass and does the job for me in one quick in and out. That put me in place, didn’t it?
