Bumper Bean Crop!

[Colin Miles]

In Dec KG it is nice to see that so many people had a bumper crop of Runner Beans. Here it has undoubtedly been the worst I have ever experienced in more than 40 years - 50 if you include my father's efforts - and I know from a neighbour down the road that I am not alone. With only the 2 of us and 2 rows (the 2nd put in later in desperation) we still couldn't get enough to have more than the occasional meal during Sept/Oct, let alone supply any neighbours which is the usual thing. It was simply too wet and dull for them and the Cobra Climbing French Beans and the 'dwarf' French Bean Purple Queen did even worse. And although Kelvedon Wonder and Hurst Greenshaft Peas did fine early on, they all withered and died in the dull wetness of August and September.

By ways of contrast all the root crops have done really well - Beetroot, Parsnips, Swedes, Carrots. So I can't complain too much!

[Chantal]

Hi Colin

My runner beans were scarcely worth mentioning there were so few of them, it was pathetic.

The French beans did much better, but that's not saying a lot.

[Shallot Man]

I made three sowings of runner beans this year, a complete flop.

[Bren]

I had a marvellous crop of runner beans this year, I planted 12 plants each of Painted Lady and Wisley Magic too many for 1 person, my son took bags to his 3 neighbours, my daughter took some to work for her boss and 2 girls in the office. My problem is I can't bear to throw plants away,(I MUSTN'T SOW SO MANY IN FUTURE).
Bren

[Bren]

I forgot to mention Squashes again too many, I harvested 40, 4 different shapes no butternut, what am I going to do with all them? last year I had only 4 squashes.
Bren

[Colin Miles]

Bren - the Squash were the other disaster. 18 Ponca and 6 Uchiki Kuri produced just 1 fruit!!

[PLUMPUDDING]

I've not had a problem with beans, but the squashes and pumpkins have been pathetic, I've had a few, but was trying lots of new varieties out and didn't get anything off some of them. I also only got one aubergine from 8 plants in the greenhouse.

The cauliflowers in particular and all the brassicas have done really well in this wet summer.

[Colin_M]

Ditto PP.

I was hoping for great things from our squashes. Whilst I got around 6 big ones, most plants only produced a single fruit, often only 4-6" acrss.

However the gardening gods smiled on our Runners and the rain made up for me not watering them. We had a prolific and long lasting cropping season. Also they were the longest and straightest runners I've ever grown.

Just lucky I guess - don't worry, it will be your turn next year

[Monika]

The runner beans were fine this year after an initial slow start due to the cold and wet. Unfortunately, we still had quite a few beans to pick when the first hard frost killed them clean off!

My major disappointment this year have been the onions, completely different from last year's crop - same variety (Rijnsburger), roughly the same treatment, but obviously quite different weather. The onions were smaller than last year but the main difference is that they certainly will not keep! Usually our onions last until we harvest the overwintering onions (Radar), but this year, the Rijnsburger are already going soft and quite a few are starting to sprout!! Most disappointing.