AIBU to think bees won't visit?

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I've got some fruit and veg crops going in grow bags and containers in my little concrete back yard. Obviously we'll need a few visits from bees to get the required fruit and veg.

However, I live in a concrete jungle. My garden, and that of almost all my immediate neighbours, are paved over. Neighbours opposite have gravel or astroturf. I literally don't even remember seeing a blackbird in the back yard since I moved in 6 months ago.

Are my crops doomed to failure by a complete lack of local nature - and is there anything I can do about it? A hive isn't a practical option - I think the landlord might object!

You’ll be surprised where they come from. Other flying insects pollinate but bees are just dead good at it.

But if they don’t come, you can help your crops along by pollinating yourself. Take a small paintbrush out with you and ‘tickle’ all the flowers as you admire them. It really does help. Some crops, like sweet corn, are air pollinated and just need a good shake every now and again.
Good luck.

Plant some bee friendly flowers alongside your veg, so they’re attracted before and after the individual veg plants flower.

Painbrush the pollen as crikey says. Effective but feels slightly pervy

I would also be wary of attracting bees unless you can have flowers regularly and ideally every year, even if its just borage. Because bees talk to each other, they do little dances to describe the location of nectar-ous plants and if they fly over and there is nothing left then they’ve wasted their energy and will die in the wasteland because your bloody neighbours have concreted everything over bastards Sorry, my neighbourhood of suburban gardens with huge rose hedges and little front gardens was concreted over so people could dry their zillion rice cakes and didnt have any messy leaves to tidy. Am still seething 20 years after moving away.

To be honest I think the concreting is largely a function of the residents here being often transient, recent immigrants, low income or tenants... Not demographics who often have a keen interest in gardening. It's probably concrete or Japanese knotweed, which isn't much of a choice.

Will borage flower throughout the season? I don't want to kill bees through half hearted kindness, but my budget is limited and I'm sticking to plants with a practical (edible) use. I had wondered about some lavender. My other problem is that I don't live anywhere near a garden centre, and I don't have a car, so the nearest things I have to a garden centre are Poundland and Wilkos

I think I shall be using the paintbrush technique!

Yes, borage is cheap and lovely and will flower from early spring to late autumn. And i promise you will only ever have to buy one packet of seeds Also that borage plants and seedlings can easily be pulled out so it will not get evasive. Thankyou on behalf of the bees. They will bring you good karma.

*not get invasive

Maybe not early spring, mine havent flowered yet. But late sprinh to late autumn.

Besides nectar and pollen bees need water, a hive goes through a a crazy amount. So a bird bath with water also helps attract bees.

Wilkes are excellent for seeds and some plants. Poundland also have some plants. Get easy to grow seeds, it’s not too late. Candytuft, Godetia, cornflower, nasturtiums and Californian poppies are seeds to be planted now. They would all grow in large pots or even grow bags, if you can’t plant alongside your veg.
Wilkes also do cheap summer flowering bulbs to be planted now, they will also deliver.
For permanent flowering plants, maybe a tub or two of roses, if you’ve a wall or fence a climbing rose, they’re happy in a large pot.

Wilko’s *

Right, good old ebay has provided some borage seeds for 99p!

Try oregano too,you can get an ordinary green or a golden one, flowers July onwards when you veg will have flowers.You can cook with it so with that and borage flowers in your Pimm's you're off to a good start.

Generally, if you plant it, they will come.

Get a salvia in a pot as they love the tiny flowers. Same as verbena bonariensis and a lavender of you can. Bees seem to love tiny purple blue flowers a lot.

Just saw you on a tight budget. Do you have a local market? A lot of these plants can be bought cheaply at those.
Or look out for plant sales at local schools and churches. They sell them dead cheap at those sorts of things.
Maybe even as on your local facebook free stuff and selling pages. You'll be surprised at how many like minded people there are around.

everything helps. Borage is great, as is lavender. Butterflies will come to buddleia, as will hoverflies. very shallow bowl or tray with some stones or large pebbles in and water provides a drinking station for tired and thirsty bees.