No success with pole beans

[match]

I've been growing runner beans and (trying to grow) pole beans for a number of seasons, and while I almost always get a great crop of runners, the pole beans never really do anything.

I'm planting the beans in peat pots at the start of May, and they get going well, and I then plant them out (having soaked the pots a bit first) around the start of June.

Those that the slugs don't get tend to just sort of sit there, growing slowly, and only now start getting any height on them (the tallest is probably 3 feet up the cane, but no sign of flowers yet).

As a result even if they do get tall enough they often don't flower til mid August, and as a result we only get a few green beans, and never any developed enough to dry.

The conditions are the same as for peas and runner beans, which we have no problems with, and there's nothing obvious causing them to fail to grow.

Can anyone suggest any reasons why they might be failing to thrive, or different ways to get them going (probably for next year now!)

[veggiechicken]

Can you tell us which variety of beans you're growing please? I'm not sure what you mean by "Pole bean".
Is it a climbing French bean?

[match]

Can you tell us which variety of beans you're growing please? I'm not sure what you mean by "Pole bean".
Is it a climbing French bean?

Hi - yes, climbing french beans - we've tried Lazy Housewife, Borlotti and Cherokee trail of tears, all with the same results.

(Also forgot to say that we start them off in the greenhouse, if that matters (close to Edinburgh so can still have cold nights in May).

[Scarlet]

I would ditch the peat pots....dig one up to have a look. Often they dry up and just hold the roots in rather than break down.

#Like VC, I would like to know what variety you are growing.

And so you water them at all?

[match]

I would ditch the peat pots....dig one up to have a look. Often they dry up and just hold the roots in rather than break down.

#Like VC, I would like to know what variety you are growing.

And so you water them at all?

Thanks - I'll have a look and see whether the peat pots are still there for the smaller ones - if that's the cause I'd expect the bigger ones to have done a better job of breaking through. We did give them a good soak so that they were barely holding together before planting to try to avoid this, but you never know...

We've used peat pots for the runner beans as well and not had any problems, but maybe they're better at fighting their way out?

Watering - yes we do water everything well - though being Scotland that's often done free for us by the sky :-D

[veggiechicken]

I've stopped using peat pots because of the drying out problems. Maybe breaking them apart at planting time would help the roots out.

[greenishfing]

I start my climbing French beans in the greenhouse due to the voracious appetite of my slugs. 2 or 3 weeks later (early June they are generally ready to go outside. I start them in 3 inch pots (2 to a pot). The whole pot gets planted out regardless of if 1 or 2 have germinated. Mine are now approaching the top of the 8 foot canes and are just starting to flower. I'd just start them in ordinary pots next year.

[Scarlet]

Hi - yes, climbing french beans - we've tried Lazy Housewife, Borlotti and Cherokee trail of tears, all with the same results.

Even down here I don't start my beans until beginning of May because once they've got chilled they don't seem to recover.
I would say your choices aren't great for early ripening.
Lazy Housewife I've grown a few times, even though it's a shorter variety than others it's slow and a late cropper so may not have been a good choice up north. I think it's labelled as a late ripening variety.
Borlotti beans can take a long time to ripen too...but you can eat the pods? There have been a couple of years my beans haven't dried and I've taken the plants into the garage to do this.
CofT is a good bean BUT I'm growing that this year along with a few other varieties, sown at the same time and that one is behind some of the others...my Cosse Violette and Kew blue are much further in front.
I know there's often no rhyme or reason why some are slow but it's worth growing a few varieties every year.
Dwarf beans are a good shout as they will give you a crop before the taller varieties ripen extending your season.

[robbra]

For a couple of years I've grown Neckar Queen from the Organic Gardening Catalogue, I sow where they are to grow, normally sometime in June or even July, in my case large pots or a dustbin up canes and never had a poor crop. This is the first year I've tried some Italian climbing French beans, I think that makes sense.
I know I'm many miles south but these beans are tasty and reliable as long as they are fed and watered, might be worth a try.
Rob

[ameno]

If you're happy with just growing for green beans, I'd recommend a small-seeded variety. They seem to grow quicker and give a heavier crop.
Cobra is particularly good. Very reliable, crops heavily; I've never had any problems with it. It's a Which? best buy, too.

[match]

Thanks for all the helpful replies!

So I just nipped out and dug up one of the smaller beans, and yes, the root system is almost non-existent - a small clump barely more than 3 inches across of very dry, fine roots, but nothing substantial. So I'm going to assume the peat pots have restricted things too much, so will try growing them in larger pots next year and taking them out before planting.

Will also take up the advice on trying some different varieties - we like to grow beans for drying (and have had good success with czar for this) so early ripening varieties are probably a good idea!

[SarrissUK]

I agree with the previous posters... Beans are all about the roots and getting as much nutrients as they possibly can, and for that they need a fairly serious root system. Ditch the peat pots and direct sow - I dont think its too late!

[Snoop Puss]

Like Sarriss, I'd suggest direct sowing. I sowed my climbing beans (Algarve and a mixed packet I was given as a free gift) in mid-June and the Algarve are getting on for 2 metres tall already. I'll grow these again.

I expect it to be cold enough by late September to finish them off, but we should get a decent harvest between now and then.

Plus, it might be useful if you added your location to your profile. Doesn't have to be detailed, just a general area. It makes it easier for people to give advice based on your growing circumstances.

[Scarlet]

He is in Scotland so I think it's a bit late to start again now but worth a go with dwarf beans.

I can't direct sow here....I try one with every plant I put out but my guess is 90% get eaten by mice. I can't start them in the GH either cos the little blighters are in there too

[Urban]

I like to sow my beans in large modules. 4 or 5 seeds to a pot. Then just plant the whole lot next to my supports/canes

Seem to do pretty well like this

As some people have said. If you direct sow some now. You should still get a crop