pinching out runner bean tip?

[pottymarigold]

Haha, no flowers yet. These are the ones that still haven't germinated. Got a little while to sort out the pinching out situation i guess. I just like to be prepared!

[Tripmeup]

aquadulce beans..

First time growing these which I planted in November last year
Do they look OK and about right for this time of the year?
Anything I should do with them yet?

[rustylady]

They look fine. Just wait for the beans. Keep an eye on them for any signs of blackfly.

[Tripmeup]

Thanks Rustylady....

Given that there are some blooms there now, should I be starting to think about cutting/pinching the tops off ? Or will I wait til I see bean pods...?
thanks again..

[rustylady]

As long as there aren't any blackfly leave them to get on with it.

[Two_Sheds]

Given that there are some blooms there now, should I be starting to think about cutting/pinching the tops off ?

I repeat! You pinch the tops out when you see blackfly! lol

No blackfly, no need to pinch the tops off

[Two_Sheds]

Would about a cm above the leaves be ok?

Cut the stem as close to the leaves as possible: so as not to leave a bit of stem standing bare

you hear loads of terms but no proper descriptions of what they mean

I might be mortally offended at that. I try my very best to be explicitly clear

(The Sutton). How tall should it be when I pinch that off?

It's not a matter of height ~ it's a matter of blackfly. You pinch off the tops when you see blackfly, no need to do it before that

[Tripmeup]

I repeat! You pinch the tops out when you see blackfly! lol

No blackfly, no need to pinch the tops off

At the risk of being told off again is it just a matter of watching out for black fly sitting on the plant?
Reason I ask is I will be away for 10 days from start of May, so if they descend then there won't be much I can do unfortunately.....
What are chances of them not appearing??
Havent grown beans there before if it helps....though I doubt it does..

[rustylady]

According to this link, blackfly usually appear in May or June (despite having gardened for donkey's years I couldn't remember the peak time for them), so I wouldn't pinch anything off your plants before your holiday if there aren't any blackfly by then. Pest Watch – Blackfly or Black Bean Aphid on Broad Beans | iGrowVeg

[Two_Sheds]

At the risk of being told off again ..

LOL ! I did have my tongue-in-cheek, I hope you realised that.
I had a very short fuse yesterday: dealing with pooping puppy on top of my usual chronic backpain & fatigue, and I'd just gotten VERY VERY CROSS at the selfish parents who park on the yellow zigzags too.

Yes, we only pinch out the broadies because of the blackfly, which descend overnight in May, usually. If you spot them early you can keep them under some kind of control, but if you don't: they will cover your plants like a black plague.

You can't help being on holiday: just deal with it when you get back, it's all you can do.

[baggyman]

How did Runner bean tips turn into Broad bean tips?

[Tripmeup]

LOL ! I did have my tongue-in-cheek, I hope you realised that.
I had a very short fuse yesterday: dealing with pooping puppy on top of my usual chronic backpain & fatigue, and I'd just gotten VERY VERY CROSS at the selfish parents who park on the yellow zigzags too.

Yes, we only pinch out the broadies because of the blackfly, which descend overnight in May, usually. If you spot them early you can keep them under some kind of control, but if you don't: they will cover your plants like a black plague.

You can't help being on holiday: just deal with it when you get back, it's all you can do.

Hey Two Sheds..

Yea, I knew that (the LOL gave you away) ...
Sounds like a bad day alright

I didn't know they descended in that multitude..... but as you say not alot I can do only go off on my hols and enjoy myself

Another silly question maybe, but how does pinching them out deter the blackfly..??

[Thelma Sanders]

It doesn't really deter them - you are removing them along with the new leafy tops, which is what they fancy eating!
The old leaves are nowhere near as appetising to them so they don't usually come back

[rpt]

Back to pinching out runner beans...

My daughter planted a 'magic' bean in a little pot at school and brought it home (probably just before the Easter break) when just a seedling. It is now sitting on the kitchen window sill in a bigger pot climbing up a cane. It has gone past the cane and, if I find a longer cane, it won't be long before it touches the ceiling. Can I do anything to check its growth without harming it? I'm worried it will be totally out of hand before it's ready to plant out.

As far as I can work out the magic bean is a runner bean.

[Tripmeup]

How did Runner bean tips turn into Broad bean tips?

Magic ??

Apologies if I hijacked the thread, but pinching out was a part of the topic...!!