Runner Bean flowers BUT No Beans

United Kingdom

This is my first year growing veg's. I've created a 6'x6' plot with loads of old compost into which I have a couple of Marrow Plants, 3 Tomatoe plants, a couple of rows of peas and a long row of Runner Beans.
All are growing beautifully & healthily and have loads of flowers from which the various vegies are growing - All apart from the Runner Beans - They were purchased as small plants, planted at the base of 6' canes and have shot to the top and beyond and are a Mass of Red Flowers that are well visited by Bees and other polinating insects - HOWEVER - The flowers eventually drop and just leave a stalk... No little runner bean, ready to grow big and feed me. All plants are watered regulary but not over watered, I've added a bit of feed to the water on a couple of occasions over the past month.
Can anyone enlighten me as to why the flowers just drop off and are not producing beans ??

23 Jul, 2008

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Answers

Janey

Hi, I've just been to look at our beans which are in flower and as yet there are no new beans growing. My husband Ian says spray the plants with water, but in my gardening book it says this has no effect, as they are insect pollinated and the insects are brought out by warmth. Grow runners in sheltered rather than exposed positions to encourage insects. They are also more attracted to the white flowered runner varieties than they are to pink or red flowered ones.

Needless to say we have always grown red flowering varieties and there has been no problem with the setting of the beans. I think the weather this year has been too cold and wet and everything is later than usual, you could always use an artists brush to pollinate them if the insects aren't doing their job.

Hope this helps you a bit.

23 Jul, 2008

Steve

we had this problem early on and found that birds were the guilty party, they liked the red flowers and were eating them, hence no beans..hung up some old cd's on string around the beans and this has scared them off, plenty of beans now!!!!

24 Jul, 2008

Joyoustub

Hello there... I understand that runner beans need lots of watering, feeding so do that but one more thing you could do is spray the flowers with a sugar solution to encourage pollination. That may just be the answer. I really hope so for you.

27 Aug, 2008

Brianmarshc..

I plant sweet peas alongside my runner beans when my runner beans are about half way up their canes to inter twine amongst them.
Adds colour, attracts bees and therefore promotes pollination, gives cut flowers and a nice scent as an extra.

20 Jul, 2009

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