Self pollinating runner bean flowers dropping

[Sheilakins]

I'm growing Firestorm runner beans for the first time, and I've noticed that the flowers are dropping off before setting the beans ....any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Please.

Lots of flower clusters on them but they're just not setting and are usually all dropped off over the following couple of days.

[bearded bloke]

Hello Shiela, I can't help but I found an old thread on this very subject .... http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_73266.html .... hopefully you will be able to glean some useful info from it

[Sheilakins]

Hello Shiela, I can't help but there is an old thread on this very subject & variety .... http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_73266.html .... hopefully you will be able to glean some useful info from it

Thanks Bearded will give it a read thro......I'm at a total lose as never had this happen with the scarlet emperor runners I grew a few years back.

[Potstubsdustbins]

They tend to drop their first few flowers then settle down. I grew them last year and ended up with a great crop, this year I have picked the first of them today.

Are you giving them plenty of water?

[Sheilakins]

They tend to drop their first few flowers then settle down. I grew them last year and ended up with a great crop, this year I have picked the first of them today.

Are you giving them plenty of water?

Yup water twice a day at the minute while it's hot & sunny, even my dwarf been don't seem to be doing much either to be honest....best crops for me so far this year have been......sugarsnap peas, mange tout, radishes & broccoli everything else has been a bit of a let down really.

[Greenleaves]

I also grow Firestorm and as Potty says it is not unusual. Blackfly will also cause the flowers to drop so check the unopened flowers

[Alison]

Slight aside, just wondering why people grow self pollinating beans outside? Can understand if you're growing very early or in a tunnel but have never heard of or experienced problems with their pollination. Just curious to know as am assuming the seeds cost more - may be wrong on that though, I often am

[Potstubsdustbins]

Firestorm £2-95 White Lady £2-95 Red Rum £2-75 so not much difference in cost if any at all. And if there is a shortage of pollinators as there is in some parts this year you still get a good crop.

The main reason is SWMBO likes the taste!!!!! This over rides all other considerations.

[Alison]

Taste should always override anything else . To be honest, out of date on prices for beans, not bought any for years. My runners won't be true anymore but will be well suited to my soil.

[Sheilakins]

Well I'm pleased to say I can see two beans forming on them this morning, so that's ok at least me & hubster will have one each, if no others appear , reason for growing the firestorm was the write up DT Brown gave them, as heavy croppers....& I have found some blackfly (not a lot) so have squished them...also been squishing the buggers off my watermelon plants too every morning for the past 10 days or so... No idea where the buggers are coming from, but wish they take the hint that.....if
you land here you're gonna get squished!!!!!

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^ In a fortnight you will ne inundated. Keep squishing.