People depend on pollination of plants for much of their food supply; gardeners depend on it even more for ornamental fruit and to obtain seeds for planting.
Flowering spring fruit trees may be grown for edible fruit or as ornamentals. Having the right pollinator tree present is one of the first decisions fruit fanciers must consider. Growers of apples are lucky because the many crab apples grown for spring flowers and fall fruit will pollinate apples.
Gardeners growing other types of tree fruits, such as pears, cannot rely on neighborhood trees for pollen and must plant a second pollinator tree to assure a good crop.
Honey bees are the agents of pollination for many fruits and vegetables. These bees often have been taken for granted until a recent mysterious decline — colony collapse disorder — endangered their numbers.
Now that bees are much more appreciated, gardeners should be extra cautious about insecticide sprays that may kill them. Also choose the least toxic insecticide when one is necessary.
For example gardeners spraying to control codling moth to prevent wormy apples should not spray when apples are in full bloom and bees are present. Wait until petal fall, after bees have done the pollination and left the area.
The same pollination story plays out in the vegetable garden. Vine crops like squash, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. All require bees to move pollen from male to female flowers. A lack of bees in your garden or poorly considered sprays that eliminate bees will result in little or no fruit (the edible product of the plant).
Gardeners should take special note when pesticide labels mention a product is toxic to bees and take all precautions. Remember that hand-picking or knocking pests off plants with a strong stream from the hose are two options for pest control.
Without bees and proper pollination, gardeners would be without annual flower and vegetable seed for planting their gardens. Buying plants would not be an option because growers of transplants also start plants from seed.
Protect honeybees whenever possible to preserve this valuable resource which indirectly contributes tens of millions of dollars to the state’s economy in the form of the apples, peaches and other fruiting plants that they pollinate.
Suzy Velez is a Colorado master gardener, Colorado State University Extension-Denver.
