Kitchen Garden Forum

For yet another year my runner bean flowers are not setting. Interestingly the only the first set of flowers on each plant to have bloomed have produced just one runner bean, from the first flower to open. From the rest - nothing ! I wondered about lack of bees, but have seen quite a few around recently on the flowers, without any results. I also wonder whether it was a sudden drop in night time temperatures earlier on after the first batch of flowers had opened that is causing the problem. Anybody else experiencing this or are you all picking beans like crazy ?

My beans have only just started to climb and flower because it's been so cold they've been sulking. I have seen one bean so far, not big enough to pick either.

Don't give up yet Primrose, it's still relatively early in the bean season.

I have loads of beans on my runners I reckon nearly every flower has become a bean and I am looking forward to having a bumper crop like we had last year, If you want your flowers to set spray them with the hosepipe they need a bit of humidity to set.

I've got some Scarlet Emperor in large tubs growing up canes and these are doing really well. Already picked some and loads coming. I've been spraying the flowers on these every few days. I was given some others by my neighbour, which are planted against some trellis and they are struggling to get over 3ft high at the moment.

I've been spraying my beans a couple of times every day, especially in warmer weather (one of the advantages of retirement and being around during the day!). Doesn't seem to have made much difference though, and as I note the red flowers now appearing at the top of the canes and all the lower ones dead, I wonder how much chance I've got to get anything like a reasonable crop.

I thought we had had this debate before and that spraying was of little or no value. What matters is deep preparation, soil moisture and insects. It's too early for me to know what sort of crop I'll have, just getting to the top of the sticks with a few setting. The Cobra haven't died like last year and are flowering and setting low down, although I would like a bit more growth, but at least if the weather is letting them grow so the runners should be OK.

Cobra is an excellent variety of climbing french bean - good colour, tasty and prolific - and like all french beans it sets well. We grow it as our main bean for freezing because its so reliable. This years row is a little behind but we've just had the first good picking from the bottom of the row. We do grow a short row of runners for everyday use. Although we like the taste of them they can be very tiresome when they won't set. I do give beans a sprinkling of lime a few weeks after the plants have been set out in the ground. This is supposed to help flower setting but like spraying and so on I'm not convinced that these little tricks really do much good.

John

Hi Geoff,
We have over the years discussed the misting of Runner Bean flowers on this forum and the consensus over the years is that it is a total myth and no benefit is gained. Like John, as my beans are begining to set the first beans I apply calcified Seaweed along the row and make sure that the beans never ever become dry at their base. At present there are a few missed blooms but look to be at the beginnings of a very good bean year.
I have a permanent bean bed and I think this is the 16th year of this method with no detremental effects.
I also grow French Climbing beans and have been picking them for about two weeks now with many set and growing. I grow Cobra, Diamant and Cosse Violet.
JB.