Runner Bean question

[Mi Jardín]

Hello wise grapes!

I have Polestar runners in pots, and they have been excellent, until now.
They have gone tough and stringy in the last week...is there anything I can do, or are they just finished?
My next lot are flowering so I'm not too worried.


Also, is anyone still planting beans? If I am going to do away with them, I thought I might pop another few seeds in...good idea/not worth it?

[Alison]

Are you picking the beans regularly, you need to pick them when they are small and tender as they tend to get stringy and a bit yucky if you leave them to get too big. Also, as they seeds form, the plant starts to think it has done it's work so stops producing more flowers (and therefore beans). I would have thought that it's too late for sowing more but if you make sure you pick often then you should be OK. So long as they get plenty of food and water (they're a hungry crop) they should produce pretty much through to the first frosts.

However if it's young beans that you're having the problem with then, sorry, can't help.

[Mi Jardín]

Its the smaller ones too, they're just curling up, and then when you do get a nice straight one its as tough as old boots!
They have been wonderful up until now, not many have made it to be big long runners either, they're just too yummy to leave!

[bluemoon]

The weather here's been quite dry and runners do like their roots well watered. Try picking off all the tough ones and watering well. Pots dry out remarkably quickly and may need watering several times a day in warm, dry weather. As for starting some more it's a little late, though they do keep going until the first frosts and if we get an Indian summer you might be lucky. It's one of those try it and see things, if you're only sowing a few seeds then it's not a disaster if it doesn't work.
If you're going to grow in pots again next year think of ways to retain as much moisture as you can.

[gojiberry]

I think it is to late for planting beans now. I know the plants wont die till the first frost, but the other problem is shorter day and less daylight hours. But I would go with bluemoon and suck it and see philosophy. Good luck.

Ian