Category Archives: Uncategorised
Bee-friendly container plant trials
This summer, the Blooms for Bees project and our partners at The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are investigating the use of Chaenostoma (also known as bacopa or sutera) and bird’s foot trefoil as bee-friendly container plants. Many traditional bedding and container plants … Continue reading
Steven’s Blog – Verifying your bumblebee surveys
This blog coincides with the four-week anniversary of me officially joining the Blooms for Bees team as their expert verifier. My main role is to check your photos and convert them into verified sightings that Blooms for Bees can analyse … Continue reading
Hannah’s blog – using the Blooms for Bees app
One of my jobs this summer is to carry out timed observations of our bee-friendly bedding plant trials using the Blooms for Bees app. Initial bumblebee activity on the three colours of Dahlia ‘Mignon’ has not yet been as buzzy … Continue reading
Foliar feeding trial fieldwork
Over the summer of 2017, we are working in partnership with Hozelock to determine whether foliar feeding can increase floral abundance, nectar and pollen quantity and quality, and find out whether this relates to increased bumblebee visitation. We are growing 48 tubs … Continue reading
Introducing Hannah, our intern
I’m Hannah Murphy, and I have just completed my first year as a Biological and Forensic Sciences student at Coventry University. Over the summer, I will be working as an intern on the Blooms for Bees project’s bedding plant trials … Continue reading
Our latest publication
In 2013 we carried out a small study with 38 Garden Organic members, to explore the potential of a public survey to generate novel data on bumblebee foraging in gardens and allotments. The results of this study are now available … Continue reading
Making liquid feeds
This summer, we are working with Hozelock to explore whether foliar feeding container grown plants can increase flowering, and the provision of nectar and pollen for bees. For this trial, we are feeding containerised nasturtiums with comfrey and seaweed feeds. … Continue reading
About nasturtiums
This summer, we are working with Hozelock to explore whether foliar feeds can improve nectar and pollen provision for bees. For this trial we will be growing tubs of nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) and have selected the compact, non-trailing variety ‘Ladybird’. Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum … Continue reading
Using foliar feeds
Containers are a popular and versatile way to grow flowers in gardens, but as the nutrients in growing media start to run out after around six weeks, additional feeding is required to produce healthy plants with abundant flowers. There are several … Continue reading
Foliar feeds trial
We’re really excited about our new field trial in partnership with Hozelock. The trial is designed to determine whether foliar feeding container grown plants can increase the abundance and nutritional value of flowers, and whether this affects bee visitation. Tubs, hanging baskets and window … Continue reading
Nasturtium Trial 2016
Over the summer of 2016, with the help of our student intern Giri, we conducted a trial to find out whether cultivated varieties of nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) differ in their attractiveness to bumblebees. We compared seven different varieties of nasturtium … Continue reading
Avoiding the temptation to tidy
As the flowers fade in the Blooms for Bees Border, they leave behind some beautiful dead stems and seed heads which we won’t be cutting back until well into spring. As well as looking delightful (especially in the frost), the … Continue reading