Broad Beans didn't set!

[George Gray]

I grew a second lot of broad beans that I sowed in April. They grew fine and flowered but very few of them made pods.
Any idea what could cause this? Cetainly can't be a lack of water!!

[Clive.]

Hello,

.....you are not alone...

...my first row went up to 7ft tall and has only cropped on later flowerings...the stems have ended up at 45degrees along the row.
Similarly tall second row has a few pods..but third and fourth row all but nothing has come to fruition....
They looked full of promise at the end of May..see photo below...and all were later covered in flower.

The location did not help with mine going tall..in front of the N wall as usual but also enclosed on the East side by a Privet hedge..but it was just how things worked out this year..the Early Onward Peas on the right of the photo got a little hemmed in but have done reasonably well once I managed to crawl into the tangle to pick them.!!

clickable thumbnail.

Clive.

[Monika]

It's lack of insects! There were/are not enough insects about to pollinate the bean flower, hence no beans.

[oldherbaceous]

Mine were the same as Clives, record breaking height but very few beans.

[Clive.]

As can be seen...a bit of a tangle...when compared with the promise shown in the previously posted photo.

Clive.