where have all the bees gone

Question

in September I purchased some polyanthus plants for the spring flowering not one of them have flowered. I have a peach tree which produces fruit every year this year it flowered as usual but no peaches, likewise I purchased some geranium plants for planting out they have not produced any flowers either, in the spring I planted some Broad Beans which have grown into fine plants and flowered but no beans yet also Runner Beans which have reached the top of the sticks but only a ,very few flowers I have gardened the same every year but has never had this happen before could it be because there are no bees about.

Answer 1

This may, actually, be a case of nutrient leaching. If you plant these things year after year, and don't replenish the soil in between, then this can be the problem. This can usually happen when there is not enough potassium and phosphorus in the soil.

Most of the plants listed are wind pollinated, and do not require insect help. I could have suspected that it could be the case if it were just your tree, or only the plants pollinated by insects. This is not the case if your beans did not produce, or your other plants did not flower well, or at all.

I would recommend giving everything a good layer of compost each year, or find a good all purpose to spread around between crops. This will help keep nutrient levels up in the soil. In nature, grass debris, limbs, leaves and the ecosystem helping to break these down contribute to the soil nutrients. This cannot usually happen in a yard where it must be maintained, so it will always be necessary to add nutrients in a forced system vs. a natural one.