Runner Beans

[caithnessuser]

I live far north of Scotland and grow my runner beans in my greenhouse. They are growing extremely strong and have lots of flowers, however, a lot of the flowers are falling off and no beans have appeared? Any reasons for this please?

[reetnproper]

Some one else asked this question a few days ago and I think the general concensus was that Runners don't do HEAT very well and that the hot weather was stopping the flowers from setting. Possibly your greenhouse is a little too hot at the moment and the result is the same.

Misting the flowers at the end of the day was one suggestion (I think) to cool the flowers down and aid setting. If it makes you feel any better my runners are suffering as well.

Reet
x

[caithnessuser]

Thanks very much, I am a new user and this has been very helpful

[reetnproper]

Well a belated welcome to the board .

You'll find a lot of friendly and helpful people here with a wealth of experience.

Reet
x

[Alison]

They may also not be getting the insects they need to fertilise the flowers.

[evie b]

Runner beans

Yes I had that problem. I mist them at night. Not so many flowers falling now.
Good luck with them. It seems to be trial and error with it all.

[Kayleigh-M]

Same problem here too. Not one bean so far

[matthew2riches]

It could be either the heat (as others have said) or lack of pollination. Runner beans don't self pollinate... If they did I'd be soooo happy! I love runner beans and would grow them in my living room

[Two_Sheds]

Yes I had that problem. I mist them at night

The point of misting is to open a wilted (from heat) flower, so that bees may enter. However, it is an old wives tale ... so save your time

[Comfreyfan]

I usually find that the first flowers fall off, but it's always worked out alright eventually! In a few weeks time you'll probably be wondering what to do with all the beans!

[Kayleigh-M]

So there is still hope then? Thats good to hear.

[T8Ter]

Give them a potassium rich feed to encourage flowering and I always give mine a weak feed of Epsom salts to help with magnesium intake.

[Jalnald]

I have little black dots over my beans. Any idea what they are and how to get rid of them. This is my first year of growing beans and need any help I can get.

[Jeanied]

Those could well be blackfly, Jalnald - in which case a bit of judicious squishing between finger and thumb would not go amiss. I'm having a bad year for blackfly myself!!

[Cherry Blossom]

I was wondering the same thing as I've had loads of flowers but then nothing. I checked them over earlier this evening and lo behold I found a bean! YAY!
Black and white fly seem to have hit this part of Kent quite bad this year.