Runner beans and tomatoes not setting

[Primrose]

None of my runner bean flowers have so far set this year and unusually for the first time I'm finding a similar occurrence on some of my tomato plants. Anybody else having
Ithe same problem? Am wondering if it's something to do with high temperatures. Despite seeng bees in the garden I haven't seen a single one on my bean flowers.

[robo]

I have only planted a few runner beans as we are not that kean on them but not had a problem with them or the tomatoes, have you tried tapping the canes holding your tomatoes last thing at night when the day has started to settle

[retropants]

Have you tried misting them in the evening?

[Monika]

I regularly give my tomatoes a good shake to move the pollen about because I understand that helps. And we certainly have lots of green tomatoes so far.

[RexysKitchen]

I've had both runner beans and tomatoes for a number of years and haven't had any problems. Have you done anything different this year than you would usually?

[Colin Miles]

Following on from my earlier comments re Enorma and Firestorm. The latter have caught up and have a much better set than Enorma. Tomatoes also setting well, but we have had rain here(!), though 7 miles away in the National Botanic Garden of Wales the lakes are drying up!! So I guess the humidity, etc., may be a factor in setting. And insects, of course.

[Primrose]

I,ve often found in the past in dry hot summers like this the flowers don,t start setting until later in the season, towards the middle/end of August when the temperatures start dropping and then beans start to appear. But it's sad that so many flowers will have been wasted without turning int beans. I'm glad II've hedged my bets and grown 50% French climbing beans (Cobra and a yellow climbing variety for the first time) ) because the set on these has been totally reliable and I don't think a single flower has been lost from non pollination.

I am watering and spraying the foliage daily but with the runners it hasn't seemed t make any difference at all. - just whole stalks of dead red flowers with no beans.

[alan refail]

Primrose

French beans are self-pollinating so no need for bees etc. You're onto a winner with them.

[ken]

Can't comment on the runner beans as we prefer French, and we're getting a great crop. But the advice on tomatoes is correct - a good tap on the canes or stems should get the pollen moving, and a light misting with water can also help. I usually do mine in the morning but I don't know that the time of day makes much difference. Our tomatoes, indoor and out, doing very well - I picked nearly 3lb the other day. Incidentally have been reading recently that commercial growers used to have to get people with very long canes to tap their tomato plants (very labour intensive), but now buy bumble bee nests. Very much more efficient, apparently, but not without problems. Inevitably some bumble bees escape and it is alleged they can spread disease, damaging wild bumble bees. All this from an excellent paperback, 'A Sting in the Tale'.

[Primrose]

Well my tomatoes are setting much better now but the runners are still hopeless. I think I have just two small beans finally showing. Very galling as I attended a nearby village horticultural show earlier this afternoon and saw two exhibits of nice runner beans. Interestingly though there were about five times more entries in the French beans classes which means either the French beans have been growing more reliably and prolifically , or other amateur growers are having the same problem as me getting their runner beans to pollinate.

[Colin Miles]

just picked my first runners and there are going to be loads!

[John]

Hello Primrose
I always give the soil around my runners a little lime (ground limestone) at the planting out stage and this seems to help. It is recommended if you have a neutral or slightly acidic soil.
Even at this stage I would suggest its worth trying a sprinkling and water it in well. It certainly won't do any harm.

This year I'm growing Firestorm and Stardust from Marshalls. They have both done well and DW is looking forward to the first picking tomorrow. She has a nice piece of gammon ready and with Anya potatoes, baby carrots and new runners from the garden I'm looking forward to getting my feet under the table tomorrow lunchtime.

John