I have to say I grew multi varieties of Runners and french beans red, white and purple floweres but the heat has really caused problems eary blossom drop, beans dying at 2 iches long, short curved beans? Ido not think I have had more than 2lbs so faroff 200 piqnts..They are only fit for seed.
I grow Enorma. Was very late starting my sowing and then planting out. Have big plants hanging down from 8ft canes, loads of flowers and plenty of beans setting. Am picking about 1lb+ per day, already giving them away. This year I tried digging a pit, filling it with kitchen veg. waste, covered it and planted the beans around the edge, canes in a wigwam. I have watered copiously into the pit every day and am guessing that is what has helped my beans this year.
The storms at the week end has blown a lot of the flowers off but there are still plenty left.
I can't keep up with the crop from Scarlet Emperor in huge pots in partial shade. They have been abundant, but only since mid July. I pick them young and they don't need skinning. The ones that hide and grow larger are stringy and unpleasant so I don't cook them.
As a trial, I planted some in the ground and the yield is poor despite feeding and watering in the same way as the ones in pots. I like them as a feature adding height in the garden mainly, so I am more than happy with them.
Polestar and The Czar here, both went in very late for me - mid June. I usually plant out by the end of May (I always start them in root trainers). Not picked many yet but they are flowering and setting well so if we get a bit of rain this month, I may yet get a decent crop. The French beans, on the other hand, are going great guns. Cobra and 'The Lazy Housewife' plus a random yellow one (I got a scoop of 'pot luck' beans at the potato day I went to in February) are all producing well. No surplus yet, but enough for me to go and get enough for dinner whenever the mood takes us.
This is normal, I find, either runners or french do well, but rarely both.
The borlottis and gigantes that I always grow for the beans (as opposed to for the pods) are also flowering and setting well, but coming from Italy and Greece respectively, this is probably a very temperate summer to them.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I've just had a really good look at mine ... lots of beans that will be ready in the next few days, but it does look as if the strong winds over the weekend may have blown the most recent flowers off I've given the plants a good dose of tomato feed (high potash) to encourage them to produce more blooms.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My French beans were nearly knocked over in the wind too @Dovefromabove but managed to save them. Picked enough for a meal today but they are definitely slowing down and I think will finish early this year.
I have grown both the proper runner bean and the runner bean cross with dwarf bean its been a good test this year,so far runner bean cross are setting better than the other beans,both have had the same treatment of water and liquid feed.
...on our allotment nobody seems to be having much luck with beans - runner or French climbers - ive managed 1 small bag and that's it with no sign of anymore! Think it could be to do with the heat but that said I had problems just trying to get the Blue Lake climbers to germinate nevermind climb!
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I grow Enorma. Was very late starting my sowing and then planting out. Have big plants hanging down from 8ft canes, loads of flowers and plenty of beans setting. Am picking about 1lb+ per day, already giving them away. This year I tried digging a pit, filling it with kitchen veg. waste, covered it and planted the beans around the edge, canes in a wigwam. I have watered copiously into the pit every day and am guessing that is what has helped my beans this year.
The storms at the week end has blown a lot of the flowers off but there are still plenty left.
As a trial, I planted some in the ground and the yield is poor despite feeding and watering in the same way as the ones in pots. I like them as a feature adding height in the garden mainly, so I am more than happy with them.
This is normal, I find, either runners or french do well, but rarely both.
The borlottis and gigantes that I always grow for the beans (as opposed to for the pods) are also flowering and setting well, but coming from Italy and Greece respectively, this is probably a very temperate summer to them.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.