Broad Bean Fury

[Cutecumber]

Why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why...?

Won't my broad beans set?

A few years ago I tried The Sutton - about half the flowers fell off un-fertilised. The next year it was the same, so I gave up. This year I (foolishly) gave it another go with Jubilee Hysor and it's even worse. About two-thirds of the flowers have dropped so there are no beans below about two foot!

Twelve plants, some in large pots, some in the ground, in a garden. Plants germinated well, grew hard and strong, have been flowering for about three weeks. I know that bees are around, but I also know that every bean flower has been "robbed" by short-tongued bees. There are also ants everywhere and I have seen them attack bees on the plants.

I have read about a dozen books and searched the internet and I cannot find reference to this problem, let alone a solution. I know it is common with runners, that happens to me, too, but am I really the only person who can't grow broad beans?

Do you suppose that I just do not have any pollinators or are they being put off? The long-tongued bumble bee is said to be in decline - perhaps there are none at all where I live!!!

[Alice]

Sorry I can't help with your beans Cutecumber. Mine are just starting to flower now so will have to see how they go. Interesting about the bees though. I have many kinds of bees in my garden but I didn't know they had long and short tongues. Are some kinds of bees no use as pollinators. Can you tell me more ?

[Cutecumber]

Thanks Alice.

Not all bees can access the necessary parts of broad bean flowers as they are quite deep. It is only long-tongued bumble bees which can act as pollinators. Other bees know how to get the goods, however... they bore a hole into the other end of the flower (it's not hard to find these holes on the top at the back) and they literally steal the pollen. Once this happens, ants and even the long-tongued bees use the short-cut.

I have also read that bees may also leave a chemical message on a flower to say that all the pollen has been taken, which, if true, would mean that the "right kind of bee" wouldn't bother having a look once the robbery has taken place.

Unfortunately, long-tongued bumble bees are in severe decline.

[Alison]

You learn something new every day! Never knew that bees had different length tongues!!!!! Is that the same for peas and other types of beans?
Fortunatly mine are OK and I now have small pods forming.

[Alice]

Thanks Cutecumber, I googled it and got lots of info. Learn something on here everyday.
It's a shame I can't just send bees in the post as I have loads of Bumble bees and many other kinds. I hope your beans will set.

[rustylady]

Usually as long as the plants are in the open there shouldn't be any problem with pollination. Are you sure it's not lack of water causing the immature pods to drop?

[TPeers]

You are not the only one Cutecumber, I also have lousy set on my broad beans - to the extent I am considering ripping them out now as I don't think there is even one meals worth on them and I have a back log of plants to go out into the space!

[Sue]

Cutecumber
I grew Sutton and Witkiem this year, and the Sutton are stunted, very few set beans etc - however in the next door bed the Witkiem are large healthy plants with a good crop of beans.
And I was going to ask this, is the Sutton not a good variety? as the two beds are side by side, any pollination problems would surely affect both types?
Don't give up, it maybe the variety is part of the problem?
Sue

[Paulottie]

Hi cuteC

Would pinching the top of the plants out help put their energies into production?
Are the sparrows picking the flowers off?

I've got Aquadulce (nearly picked)and Suttons (coming good) -the Suttons were completely covered in flower, I'll have another comparison for set tomorrow(under my brolly) and let you know conclusions.

[Alison]

I'm growing Aquadulce and Express this year, the Aquadulce were an autumn planting and are only slightly in advance of the Express which were planted several months later. Not grown Sutton so can't comment but would guess that they can't be totally unreliable as they've been around for a fair bit and nobody would buy them if they were useless.

[Alice]

I'm growing Sutton, but just coming up to flowering now, but will certainly report how it goes. But as Alison says, the variety has been around a long time so must be generally successful.

[Happydigger]

Just picked up on this, flowers need moisture to enhance scent and attract bees or other pollenators, ants usually indicate aphid attack in some form,blackfly or greenfly, ants farm them to gain sap from the plant.
Could be worth spraying with soapy water to discourage aphid and encourage flowers to set.

[mrskp]

Last year I only tried Green Windsor and was worried about flowers dropping as they seemed to be out long before we had any bees. Eventually something kick started the whole thing and got plenty.

This year I sowed Aquathingies in the autumn which are now bearing fruit (am eating them whole), but the spring sown GWs have caught up and overtaken them height wise with plenty more blooms on. I'm not sure that the extra work of tending to the Aquathingies all winter was actually worth the pain.

I'm super lucky in that the blackfly don't appear to know where I live (second year running), and we get plenty of rain so I'm just waiting patiently for the GWs to get going.

[Cutecumber]

More good stuff - thanks for all your input, everyone.

I have also read about the importance of water to ensure good flower set, and am wondering whether the years I have tried broad beans, there have been particularly dry times during their early development. This April, for example, was very warm and dry - perhaps that was the key time and it set the scene for the future development of the plants.

The thing is, I feel I have been watering them - those in the ground and those in pots - really regularly since they were planted.

Perhaps I have to re-assess what I consider to be a decent watering

TPeers - sorry to hear you are in the same state as me with your beans. What type are they and where do you grow them? I'd be interested to compare notes.

[TPeers]

Errr...... Planted last November in the raised Veg bed in the garden, threw the packet 'cause I planted all the seed...... Think it was Sutton, that's what I usually get and usually I get a reasonable crop!

Tons of flower and I misted the plants and kept everything well watered (it was back in the warm spell in April) Practically no set, out of 20 odd plants I think I have 20 odd pods!