Broad bean and sugar snap pea pollination?

**bario1** · 22-07-2015, 05:54 AM

Broadies definitely need to be pollinated by insects. I think peas are self pollinating though. If there are insects about they will be doing their job, don't worry!

**Lumpy** · 22-07-2015, 07:32 AM

All of the pea and bean family rely on bugs except for the occaisional runner bean that I have seen advertised as self pollinating.

I'm sure the bees etc have been (excuse the pun) over your veggie plants unless you have no sign of pods.

**Scoot** · 22-07-2015, 09:31 AM

Been out and seen a couple of very small pods on the broad bean plants. I hope you're right though about the insects visiting, just every time I have watched, I've not seen one on either the beans or peas.

**Lumpy** · 22-07-2015, 10:42 AM

When did you put your broad beans in Scoot?

**Scoot** · 22-07-2015, 05:01 PM

May, I planted them out after chitting them. I think.

Why do you ask?

**Alison** · 22-07-2015, 07:48 PM

Originally posted by Lumpy View Post

All of the pea and bean family rely on bugs except for the occaisional runner bean that I have seen advertised as self pollinating.

Beans do indeed need pollinating but peas are very self pollinating, in fact it's usually happened before the flower actually opens which is why they're very easy to save seed from but difficult to create hybrids.

**Two_Sheds** · 26-07-2015, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by bario1 View Post

Broadies definitely need to be pollinated by insects.

Actually, they don't

BUT you'll get a vastly improved crop if the insects are allowed in

https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/sit...BroadBeans.pdf

http://www.academicjournals.org/arti...%20et%20al.pdf

**Two_Sheds** · 26-07-2015, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by Scoot View Post

I've not seen one on either the beans or peas.

Are there other flowers around, all year, for the insects? My lotty is buzzing with them, because I have flowers open for 8 months of the year (dandelions are the first to come)

" In the absence of bees, gardeners can buzz flowers by hand with an electric toothbrush applied to the back of the flower for about one second."
Bees in the Big Sky - MSU Extension

**Thelma Sanders** · 26-07-2015, 03:46 PM

Peas and French beans are self pollinating, it's only runners that need the buzzies. The new self pollinating runners are a cross between runners and French beans

**Scoot** · 27-07-2015, 06:48 AM

Yeah there are wild flowers right next to my beans.

Anyway, yesterday I seen a bumble bee on my broad bean flowers and I've noticed a couple of pea pods on my sugar snaps, so something is happening anyway. Probably just me panicking over nothing.

**CaptainBurrito** · 28-07-2015, 05:36 PM

I grow mange tout and some were indoors as it was still very cold outside and they were still bursting forth with fruit. Once i put them outside i did notice some bees on them but i doubt they pollinated every one.

**Alison** · 28-07-2015, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by CaptainBurrito View Post

I grow mange tout and some were indoors as it was still very cold outside and they were still bursting forth with fruit. Once i put them outside i did notice some bees on them but i doubt they pollinated every one.

Bees don't pollinate mange tout. They (like all peas) are self fertilising so don't need insects. In fact the e usually fertilised themselves before the flowers even open.

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Broad bean and sugar snap pea pollination?

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