Runner Bean Pollination

[motherclanger]

Hi there.

I am growing runner beans for the first time this year, Enorma. The plants are growing very well and I have lots of flowers on them. The trouble is, although I get lots of white tailed bumblebees in my garden, they are completely ignoring my bean plants, instead giving their sole attention to the Borage and Vipers Bugloss that I plant for them every year. I grow all my plants in containers as our garden is completely slabbed and the Bugloss is directly in front of my bean plants, I thought this would encourage the bees to go on my beans too. Alas, this is not the case.

So, my question is, will I get any beans? I've already noticed some flowers dying and dropping off with no tiny bean growing underneath. I've tried poking a make up brush around inside the flowers to try and hand pollinate but to be honest I don't know if that's doing anything. All I can see inside the flower is a tiny bulbous red blob.....I imagine this is the stigma. I can't see any anthers or filaments so where exactly is the pollen?

Apologies if this is a really daft question I just don't want to end up with no beans

[robbra]

I hand pollinated my two pear trees this year due to no insect life inn the cold spring and never had so many pears. I only had a 2 inch brush too but it worked. I've also heard a light spray can help but never had the need to try.
Rob
Is there a sheepdog for bees to herd them onto the beans?

[motherclanger]

Lol a 'beedog' would be great

I always hand pollinate my sweetcorn just to be on the safe side and get great results. I also give my tomatoes a little help via an electric toothbrush. But I'm totally stumped with the bean flowers. Of course the pollen must be there but heaven knows where. I even snipped a flower off and opened it up and still couldn't see the male bits.

[mothhawk]

It's too hot at night at the moment. That sounds strange, I know, but runner beans need cool nighttime temperatures in order to produce and germinate pollen. They also need plenty of moisture so a mulch helps keep them damp and cool.

And it's early yet. The first flowers often drop off. Runner beans are practically a national crop for us Brits as they love our cool, wet summers. Ahem..

[Penellype]

Try misting the flowers with water. I've heard mixed reports of the effectiveness of this, but one year when all my bean flowers were falling off I misted them a few times and they did start to produce beans. It could have been coincidence.

Nowadays I grow the runner/french cross type of beans which pollinate themselves much more easily than the standard runners. The varieties are Stardust (white flowered) and Firestorm (red). Some of the early flowers still fall off though.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I to grow in containers and for my runners beans use bucket size containers to help with watering.

Don't let your pots dry out always keep them moist. Like Pen I now grow Firestorm because they are self pollinating but before always used to either mist or spray them in the evening. Some say it is an old wife's tale but working on the old saying 'if it can't do any harm it can only do good' I did it any way and I always seem to get a decent crop.

[Thelma Sanders]

Nowadays I grow the runner/french cross type of beans which pollinate themselves much more easily than the standard runners. The varieties are Stardust (white flowered) and Firestorm (red). Some of the early flowers still fall off though.

Moonlight, Red Rum, Snowstorm and Tenderstar are also self-pollinating (crossed) beans - so lots to choose from

[motherclanger]

Many thanks for all the replies guys some very helpful tips. I hadn't heard about the pollen needing cool nights so maybe that's what's happening. I grow all my veggies in pots and always keep an eye on them all so they don't dry out. I also read about misting the flowers with water every evening, like you say some people say it helps, others say it's a myth. Definitely worth trying though.

I'll see what happens this year, if they do ok then all well and good but if they have a poor crop I think I will go for the self pollinating ones next year as you suggest.

Fingers crossed and thanks again xx

[veggiechicken]

Hi and welcome. I grow Climbing French beans instead of Runners as they don't need pollinators and are less temperature sensitive. Come in all shapes and colours too.

[robbra]

VC,
I'm growing Streamline and for the first time climbing french Neckar Queen from a catalogue of organics. (Can we name where we buy things?) All colours of the rainbow too.
Didn't know they were self pollinating and they are over 2ft high after less than three weeks.
Learnt a lot in the month I've been on here.
Rob

[motherclanger]

French beans are definitely an option, my father in law grows them and they do seem to grow quickly and easily but I do have a preference for runner beans when it comes to taste and texture.

I've just noticed white patches on some of my flowers and leaves. Is that down to heat do you think?

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^^Try Firestorm next season, both the lady and I love runners to the extent she freeze's some so that we can have them all year round.

I have grown them for the last five years and she has never twigged they are not pure runners but a cross.