Runner beans have given up the ghost

[Marbles1974]

Hi all,

Wondering if someone can help me here.

Planted our runners out back in June. Initially, things were good. Lots of growth, lots of flowers, loads of beans and the wife has cooked up several lovely dishes with our home-grown runners. Yummy!

Things seem to have stopped now though. Things started to slow down at the beginning of last week, before the really hot weather. We've made sure they're well watered and I did give them a feed with Tomorite (containing added seaweed) the other day.

When I say stopped I mean no flowers and the beans that are currently there have not increased in size for over a week.

What could possibly be wrong here and how might we overcome it?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Marbles

[Snoop Puss]

Hi Marbles, I'm no expert on runner beans but I'll give this a bump to make sure others who know more than me get to see it.

At a guess, I'd say the hot weather is to blame, especially if it was windy at the same time. You also might find they need feeding more often than perhaps you've been doing. It might take a little while for the Tomorite you gave them the other day to take effect. Patience and they will probably spring back into vigorous life for you.

[ameno]

Are the leaves wilting or yellowing? The beans definitely should have grown bigger, even if no new flowers opened.

[Jungle Jane]

My beans stopped last year when we had that drought for a bit but then carried on later. This year I’ve been giving them water every evening to cool the roots & they’re enjoying that. I would pick the beans that should encourage the plant to produce more eventually but as a back up you can sow a few beans direct around the base of the canes now & they should give later beans around September/October.

[DannyK]

Gave up on runners years ago due to poor yields, used to be very good.
Tried those french/runner crosses T&M pushed. Disappointing. Stringy.
Switched to French, Cosse Violet and this year some Hunter too.

[Marbles1974]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Yes, some of the leaves are yellow and a bit wilted. Do you think I should remove ALL of the beans to encourage further growth?

Thanks again,
Marbles

[Snoop Puss]

^Is that leaves all over the plant or just in a particular place, say the bottom?

[Marbles1974]

^ Yes, mostly at the bottom. Why?

[Snoop Puss]

Well, mine are the same: old leaves, get a bit splashed with water, tend to die off first. I'd remove those (they're likely to drop off anyway eventually). If it's only at the bottom, I'm guessing the plants are fundamentally healthy. If the beans are of usable size (even if small), pick them and eat them. Keep on feeding as and when.

That said, Ameno is very knowledgeable, so wait for his/her views.

[Greenleaves]

Leaves tend to wilt at the bottom Marb as their job is done, it might be that the runners believe their job is done too, therefore they have stop producing flowers.

[ameno]

^ Yes, mostly at the bottom. Why?

If they're just as the bottom and the plant looks overall healthy then there probably isn't anything fundamentally wrong with the plants.

I asked because I lost about half a dozen bean plants this year to various, and slightly mysterious, causes.
Two are still alive, but rather yellow and stunted. I suspect something has nibbled the roots.
One, something stripped the skin off the stem near the ground and the plant died.
Three more the stems went white and shrunken, almost overnight, and the plant quickly died. I suspect it was sun scorch or something like that, but I'm not certain.

Runner beans don't much like hot, dry conditions, so hopefully they will perk up with some water and some cooler weather.

[Jungle Jane]

How big are the beans,if they’re on the plant too long,the beans start going hard inside,depends on the size if they’re about 10cm long I’d pick them as they haven’t grown at all in a week & they’re an edible size,if there’s a tiny bean I’d leave it,keep an eye on it,it’ll either go yellow & old or it could carry on growing now the heatwaves over. Have you checked the plant for any hidden huge beans,that slows a plant down as well as the temperature?