Kitchen Garden Forum

There are no blackfly present at the moment on the broad beans. In the meantime ants are cutting through the base of unopened flowers to extract nectar affecting pod set. Anybody had similar problems? Any solutions?
Oxalis

Dear Oxalis, i can't say i have ever heard of this before, apart from destroying the ants i'm not sure what to suggest.

I'm beginning to think it is ants that are eating my carrot and parsnip seed but I can't prove it.

They really are pesky little creatures. Very intelligent in farming their own food sources.

If only we could get rid of them for good.

Beryl.

Thanks for replying OH and Beryl, its a fairly large patch of broad beans,does anyone have any organic sprays or detterent suggestions for ant problems?
Ox

Hi Oxalis,
I somehow think that you will find that the culprit could well be Blossom Beetle. They bite into the base of the flower and eat the centre of the flower out. We get them on Runner Beans hereabouts in the early part of the season. A spray with Liquid Derris
normally lessens the problem. However it would appear that Liquid Derris is soon to disappear so something else will appear to replace it costing at least twice the price and only half as effective! You can bet your bottom dollar it will come along very soon!
JB.

Thank you for info Johnboy, very interesting I will examine more closely, regards.
Ox

I think that some types of bumblebee are known to bite into the base of flowers to reach nectar, especially when their tongues are not long enough to reach inside the flower. The ants are simply moving in to take advantage of the damage.
I don't know what the answer is because you don't want to discourage visiting insects that are going to pollinate just to get at a few that are damaging the flowers!

I doubt that ants are causing problems with carrot and parsnip seeds - much more likely to be slugs that certainly seem to love newly germinated carrot seed.
I've found that ant powders containing permethrin are good at removing ant nuisance.

John

Hi John,
I think that what you have said is a distinct possibility about certain Bumble Bees and given that Broad Bean flowers are quite a large bloom it certainly would make them a target. As you say a very careful watch must be made before any treatment, certainly chemical, should be carried out. With regards to Carrots and Parsnips again it is certainly more likely to be Keeled Slugs than Ants. Keeled Slugs do not leave any trail or if they do it is hardly perceptible because they are so small and live 'in' the soil. Years back I noted one evening that the Carrots had germinated and in the morning I was just in time to watch a team of Keeled Slugs demolish the last of two 30' rows. Use of the New Advanced Slug Pellets, which now carry Organic Accreditation, should assist greatly.
JB.

Hi John

Perhaps some companion planting of a flower from which short tongued bees can easily collect nectar would be the answer. A bit late for this crop but maybe for next year.

Hi Chantal,
There are varieties of Broad Bean that can still be sown and get quite a descent crop. Witkiem Manita, Stereo and Scorpio are late planting beans and can be sown up to and including May so if produced indoors/tunnel/greenhouse in pots this gives at least a couple of weeks advantage so by my reckoning we all have another couple of weeks to go before it's too late. It is certainly worth a try.
I grow Masterpiece Longpod and when the crop has finished I cut them to within about 4" of the ground and they regenerate and I get a small but very welcome Autumn crop.
JB.