Runner bean flowers all falling off

[Marb67]

Well another tale of woe with what was seemingly one of my successes. I was given some runner bean plants (of which I don't know the variety) which are early flowering and producing beans. The flowers are healthy red/white colour but ALL are falling off despite the container being kept at the right moisture level and fed. No sign of anything nibbling, just a clean break from the stem.

I was looking forward to an early crop

[Newbiegrower1970]

It might be the heat. Mine are the same, I've got 2 beans growing, all the rest fell off

[Marb67]

It's cool, not warm.

[Newbiegrower1970]

Today, yes. But it's been very hot...well it has here anyway. I think it is the night temperature that's important.

[TheMidnightGrower]

I had a lovely growth of 'Moonlight', all covered in flowers. They have been coming out beautifully but on close inspection, despite dozens of flowers, I only have 3 beans - my flowers too are just dropping off instead of setting properly. Only the flowers that have come out have dropped, there are still buds remaining.

Thanks for posting OP, I am glad it is not just me. The local temp was over 90 this week though so it could be heat. The plants themselves look perky and happy. Not been allowed to get dry as I water each day if needed.

Its very disappointing. Still at least the plants themselves seem healthy.

[roitelet]

Try spraying them with water it sometimes improves the set and stops the flowers dropping off

[TheMidnightGrower]

Have sprayed them a few times in the last fortnight, though not daily. Maybe thats why there are 3 beans instead of none :-)

I will up the frequency of spraying. Thanks.

[Jimmy]

Are they outside, can the buzzy bees get at them ?
Jimmy

[Potstubsdustbins]

My runners took a battering from the wind but I managed to cover them with fleece and they have recovered well. Only a month between to two pics.

I don't think you can give runners to much water at this stage in their development so I flood the pots every night having made sure I have good drainage of course.

As to spraying a lot of folks will tell you its an old wives tale and maybe it is. But working on the principle what can't do harm can only do good I wash the down with a sprinkler attachment every three days or so.

I should start picking at the weekend in time for Sunday lunch.

[mothhawk]

Runner beans need cool nights to produce pollen enough for good pollination, below 15C, ideally about 10C. That's why I don't bother starting them early any more, they rarely crop well till September when the evenings/nights are continuously cool. We've had a couple of weeks with night temps above 20C - not going to get any flowers set at that heat.

I'd imagine spraying flowers with water would cool them down, so if done in the evening, the evaporation may take the air temp near the flowers down enough to produce pollen for fertilisation. Too much of a faff for me.

I have found that the self fertile ones (firestorm) are not so fussy about the cool nights, so now I start them first, and follow with regular runners a month later.

[Newbiegrower1970]

Spotted 2 more beans...4 now.

[Marb67]

Well it 's been warm for a long period of time now but ALL my seemingly healthy bean flowers are still falling off before they set.

[Alison]

Well it 's been warm for a long period of time now but ALL my seemingly healthy bean flowers are still falling off before they set.

Mine are the same at the moment and I'm not that far from you. I've often found this to be the case at the start of the season but they settle down soon enough and by the end of the season I feel like I'm turning into a runner bean!

[Marb67]

The point of this variety is it gives you an early crop. May as well have just put in maincrop instead.

[veggiechicken]

Thought you didn't know what variety they were, Marb?
I've never heard of a maincrop runner bean