Getting bees hooked on flowers with nicotine

While some researchers have been busy developing a possible vaccine to help humans beat their nicotine cravings, others have been getting bumblebees addicted to the stuff. But the experiment wasn't just an exercise in getting the bees buzzed, it was an investigation into whether or not the drug could influence the insects' ability to learn the color of flowers. Hint: It can.

They sure do love their bumblebees over at Queen Mary University of London. Researchers there have previously taught the pollinators how to push a ball around a playing field, and pull a string to get food rewards. In a further demonstration of how a creature with a brain about the size of a pin head can be trained to execute particular behaviors, researchers there used nicotine-laced nectar on artificial flowers to see if they could get the creatures to show a preference for one color over another.

So they laced blue flowers with a plain sugar solution and purple flowers with a sugar solution containing nicotine. They then set 60 different bees lose in their artificial garden to see how they behaved. Sure enough, the bees showed a clear preference for the nectar that was doped with nicotine in the purple flowers. Interestingly though, the bees were repelled by the nicotine-containing flowers if the concentration of the chemical was too high.

The researchers then reversed things: They laced the blue flowers with the nicotine solution and the purple flowers with the plain nectar. The bees continued to fixate on the purple flowers however, showing that they had associated the color with the reward, even if they could get a nicotine buzz by visiting the other flowers (pin-head-sized brain, remember?).

"Flowers typically reward pollinators 'honestly' with rewards such as sweet nectar, but nature's trick box is endlessly resourceful, said professor Lars Chittka from QMUL's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. "Some plant species gain an unfair advantage over competing species by spiking their nectar with addictive substances, such as nicotine in tobacco flowers."

While the experiment might seem a bit obvious – of course bees would prefer a buzz-bringing solution over plain sugar water – the researchers say it opens the door to wide range of future studies analyzing ways in which plants might outcompete each other for the attentions of insects that can spread their pollen.

"I am convinced that what we found with this study is just the tip of the iceberg," said co-author David Baracchi who is now based at the University of Toulouse in France. "Plants may have hundreds of metabolites in their nectars and it is possible that many of them have to some degree similar psychoactive properties."

Alys Fowler: thinking of a green wall? Give climbing plants a go instead

On the walk to work, I pass a half-dead green wall. It had gone the way of many green walls, which are often far more work than anyone wants to let on. So I pondered the merits of green walls versus climbers. Climbers won. These are plants that actually want to grow upwards across something vertical and require no more effort from you than giving them something to grow on. Putting up wires or netting may seem a faff, but when you’re on to your third replacement plant and the drip irrigation is still overwatering a particular section of your green wall, vine eyes and wire tensioners may suddenly look more interesting.

One reason people are drawn to green walls is their suitability for small spaces. Many climbers are perfectly content with life in a container, and watering a pot is much more simple than trying to water a wall.

If you decide to grow your climbers in a container that’s, say, the size of a window box on the ground, you’ll have a hard time. Even annual climbers such as sweet peas and climbing nasturtiums need more room for their roots. Most climbers, particularly perennials, have evolved to grow in woodland, whether that’s in the depth of shade, such as ivy, or at the edge, they need something to climb and more often than not that’s a tree. Woodland soils are deep, rich and cool; this is the opposite of many pots that are shallow, exposed and often very hot. Thus, you need the deepest pot you can find. A good nursery-grown climber, whether it’s for a pot or the soil, will be grown in a long tom pot, which is taller than it is wide. For a perennial climber, ideally you’d like a 15-20 litre pot; something you can just about get your arms around. Although this may seem too big, it’s a false economy to use something smaller; you’ll have to water endlessly in summer and eventually re-pot. A five-litre nursery-bought climber potted into a 20-plus litre pot will happily fill a 2m x 3m wall (provided it’s got support to climb up).

The Boulevard collection (‘Picardy’, ‘Parisienne’, ‘Cezanne’ and ‘Countess of Wessex’ are my favourites) are compact with flowers at a height you can see them. Use a rampant Clematis montana or C. cirrhosa and you may find someone else is enjoying the blooms in the flat above.

Gardening: What are those beautiful flowering plants?

When the bougainvillea is in bloom, everyone wants to know what the beautiful flowering plants seen all over the island are.

This plant is without a doubt one of our most bright and colorful tropical plants. While they will flower somewhat all year, the height of the flowering season is now through late spring. The flowering will slow dramatically when the rainy weather begins in June.

If you decide to include a bougainvillea into your landscape, be prepared to suffer unsightly bougainvillea in December and January due to the cold weather. They are big thorny plants with a dense, spreading habit of growth. Its common height is 10' to 12' but the bougainvillea can sometimes reach 40' to 50' in height. The dwarf variety will reach only 3' to 4' in height. If you are not careful when pruning this shrub you will carry the scars for life.

The bright flowers make the hard work of caring for the plant worthwhile. Actually it is the bract surrounding the flower that furnishes the brilliant color. Colors range from red to white, peach, purple or crimson. Afterglow comes in varying shades of yellow, orange and salmon. It is especially striking when many colors are planted together in a group planting.

Bougainvillea does well in any soil type. It blooms best in full sun and when on the dry side. It is a very drought tolerant plant. It can be killed to the ground during a freeze but will usually regrow with the onset of warmer weather.

Bougainvillea is an aggressive grower with a naturally informal character. It is lovely beyond compare when allowed to scramble over an arbor or a wall. It can withstand heavy trimming but it does flower on new growth and blooming may be slowed when pruned in hedge form. The best choices for a hedge are the Elizabeth Angus or New River variety.

The most persistent and damaging pest of the bougainvillea is the bougainvillea caterpillar. It is about one inch long and is green in color. It eats the leaves giving the plant a tattered look. When you touch the plant, the caterpillars drop unobserved to the ground leaving most people wondering what is eating their bougainvillea plants. The brown moth which lays the eggs from which the caterpillars develop is about 1 1/4 inches in length. The moth is busy laying eggs during the warmer months. Chemical controls include Thuricide, Dipel, or Sevin. Dipel and Thuricide are a more natural control using bacillus thuringiensis, which will control only caterpillars and will not harm the beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps.

8 tricks to make your cut flowers last longer

Besides emptying the little sachet of food that comes with the bunch into your vase, there is a surprising array of tips that can help your roses, daffodils or lilies look their best for longer.

We sniffed out some of the strongest – and strangest – tricks to keep the wilting at bay…

Head florist at Appleyard London Lauren Probert, said: ""There is an old trick to keep your flowers looking gorgeous and fresh and you won't quite believe it.

"As an alternative to flower food put a drop of vodka into your vase of flowers and add water,  it's a surefire way to make your flowers last longer as it keeps the bacteria at bay."

Cut the stems

Tesco Head Florist Michelle Buck explains: "Cut your flower stems at a 45degree angle. This creates a larger surface area for the flowers to drink"

Hairspray

It sounds bonkers, but hairspray works on flowers the same way it does on your hairstyle to keep them looking fresh for longer. According to Serenata Flowers, you need to take the flowers out of the vase first, then spray the undersides of the petals and hang them upside to dry, before returning them to the vase.

TV ban

While you might be keen to catch up with Alan Titchmarsh on the box, keep your blooms away – putting your flowers too close to the TV will harm them, as the heat given off from these and other electrical appliances will dehydrate them. Ideally, pop them in a cool place where they get plenty of light, but not direct sunlight, which will wilt them.

Feed them Sprite

It’s a bit of an urban myth, but clear fizzy drinks like Sprite and 7-Up can prolong the life of your flowers, according to US scientists. Susan Han, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s plant, soil and insect science department, recommends a three-to-one ratio of water to soda, but with a couple of drops of bleach to stop bacteria from growing.

Clean the vase

Bacteria is the biggest baddie when it comes to bouquets, so make sure you thoroughly clean out your vase before placing a new bunch in it.

Keep fruit away

Michelle says: "Keep fresh flowers away from ripening fruit, it gives off a gas called ethylene and will cause your flowers to lose their longevity."

Pop a penny in

You’re bound to find one down the back of the sofa – so next time you get given a bunch of flowers, drop a penny in the vase – the copper is thought to stop bacteria from growing.

Bleach them

Sounds crazy, but Michelle explains: "Did you know that Gerberas are quite susceptible to bacteria. If you do not have suitable flower food you can use a tiny amount of household bleach in the water."