Runner bean pollination problem

[Zjho]

All my local big bumble bees are drilling into the backs of runner bean blooms for nectar and suspect that inhibits pollination and fruiting. Not a bean from at least 100 blooms. Is there a solution, fine nets to allow smaller flies only perhaps ? Luckily dwarf beans are not effected by this habit.

[Bren In Pots]

Zjho I’ve found this article hope it helps.

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk...hort%20tongue.

[Zjho]

Many thanks for that interesting read on corollas Bren, it may be the super dry conditions for the last three months over here have made bees so desperate, shall be keeping to dwarf varieties in future. I have seen others use fine net for kale but not runners. This is where i miss not having my public allotment to go on a wander round other plots.

[ameno]

You don't need to stick to dwarf beans. Any self-pollinating bean will do. So that means any French bean (dwarf or climbing), or any runner bean which has French bean in its heritage (there are many runner bean varieties which are actually runner X French crosses. These look and taste like runner beans, but are less stringy than normal runner beans and, like French beans, are self-pollinating).
Because all of these are self-pollinating, even if bumble bees still raid the flowers for nectar it won't matter, as they don't need insects to set beans in the first place.

[Zjho]

That is just the kind of thing i was hoping to hear ameno, many thanks ! I knew nothing whatsoever about the French self-pollinating thing.

[Penellype]

I grow 2 of the runner/french cross types - Firestorm is a red flowered bean ad Moonlight is white flowered. Both are self pollinating and crop well.

[Bren In Pots]

Zjho I grow Blauhilde french beans they're a tall bean with purple pods that turn green when cooked.

[Zjho]

Thanks Penellype and Bren, am taking notes on those varieties for when ordering next year's seed. I take it a tall bean is the same as a climbing bean.
I read online that collecting dwarf beans and sowing them next year will yield true to more dwarf but just discovered that ain't so, am out with the pruners keeping them from towering up and falling everywhere though might end up making a frame.

[Bren In Pots]

Can't help with dwarf beans Zjho I've only ever grown the tall/climbing varieties, but I do save my seeds drying them on the plant until the pods are crisp.

[ameno]

Thanks Penellype and Bren, am taking notes on those varieties for when ordering next year's seed. I take it a tall bean is the same as a climbing bean.
I read online that collecting dwarf beans and sowing them next year will yield true to more dwarf but just discovered that ain't so, am out with the pruners keeping them from towering up and falling everywhere though might end up making a frame.

All types of French bean ought to come true from seed, by virtue of the aforementioned self-pollination. Because they self-pollinate they don't cross with other varieties, and thus come true from seed. Occasionally you might get a rogue pod which did actually get cross-pollinated from a different variety, but it's very rare, so you would only ever have the odd plant come up different, not the whole batch.

Some dwarf varieties are less dwarf than others, though. I've grown some which grow to no more than 9 inches, and some grow to more than 2 feet.
Might there also be a possibility you got the seeds mixed up? There are some types which produce identical looking seeds to climbing varieties (for instance there are both dwarf and climbing varieties of Lingua di Fuoco, and the seeds of both are identical).

[Penellype]

As long as your beans are not F1 they should grow true to type. The french/runner bean crosses are F1 varieties and will not come true to type.

[Zjho]

All types of French bean ought to come true from seed, by virtue of the aforementioned self-pollination. Because they self-pollinate they don't cross with other varieties, and thus come true from seed. Occasionally you might get a rogue pod which did actually get cross-pollinated from a different variety, but it's very rare, so you would only ever have the odd plant come up different, not the whole batch.

Some dwarf varieties are less dwarf than others, though. I've grown some which grow to no more than 9 inches, and some grow to more than 2 feet.
Might there also be a possibility you got the seeds mixed up? There are some types which produce identical looking seeds to climbing varieties (for instance there are both dwarf and climbing varieties of Lingua di Fuoco, and the seeds of both are identical).

Another very educational post, in hindesight there perhaps were a few taller than the rest dwarfs from last year that collected seed and the percentage of that kind this year might not be much different, but am more critical of my own seed harvesting than newly bought. The biggest plants are about 2 foot ish.
I guess the original packet may have been a bit mixed as they were bought unbranded.

[Zjho]

As long as your beans are not F1 they should grow true to type. The french/runner bean crosses are F1 varieties and will not come true to type.

Thanks for drawing my attention to F1, a quick search online, aside some hilarious links to Mr. Bean and his McLaren F1 car produced a nice little summary pdf (see link) of F1 vs heirloom varieties and some of the pros and cons of both.

https://pcmg.ucanr.org/files/171548.pdf

[Zjho]

Shall in future be separating off sized beans from the rest so that when collecting for new planting they are not used.

[Marb67]

I have to cover my runner beans with enviromesh to stop the sparrows pecking off the flower heads. I have seen them do it and then discard them. I think I can see the odd bee under the net from time to time so I am hoping it gets pollinated.