runner bean flowers disapearing

[raisedbedboy]

Can anybody help? My runner bean ( grown in large planters ) have grown up to the top of the kanes and are a mass of flowers but instead forming beans the flowers disapear leaving just the stalks. I water them generously every day and twice a day during the recent hot weather. I still have plenty of flowers higher up.

[Two_Sheds]

Nip the tops off when they reach the top of the canes. It will spur them on to produce beans, not more flowers

[marathon]

NOt sure if you mean the flowers die off but someone on our plot watched as birds started to attach the flowers but what was strange is they didn't touch the white flowers only the red

[ann-the-nan]

runner bean flowers disapearing

Reminds me of an incident in my childhood. I was staying with an auntie for some reason or another. To keep me out of the way for a while I was told "go and pick some flowers". I picked a big bunch and took them into Auntie. They were a lovely orange/red flower that grew up some canes............

[stupot]

MY runner bean flowers and beans are also disappering ... bl&%dy deer!

[rustylady]

Pinch out the tops at the top of the canes. Keep well watered

[Alison]

It sometimes helps to give them a bit of a spray of water in the evenings to help them germinate.

[Paulottie]

Disagree there, I used to believe that spraying the flowers helps the set but it is an old wives tale. (I did a trial once when I was told it wasn't true...it isn't)

Consistancy of water achieved by trenching out and filling a reservoir over Winter does help. Nipping out plants' tops will produce a bushier stronger plant that doesn't drape down like curtains...easier to find the beans but if it helps setting I couldn't say.

Marathon's friend is very observant. Birds, particularly sparrows, are normally the culprit they can mob plants stripping the flowers as soon as your back is turned....most especially in dry weather when they seem to crave the moisture.