Broad bean problem

[Caro]

I thought my broad beans (crimson flowered) were doing fine. However, I had a close look today and many of the flowers don't seem to have started developing into proper bean pods. They've just shrivelled (other pods are a few inches long). And i spotted a couple of small pods that appeared to have been turned inside out (or just very opened up) and were very blackened.

What's caused this? Any ideas?

Thanks

[roitelet]

I would have thought you were a bit late for Broadies. However you could try spraying with water to aid polination. I think the problems you are having could be to the hot dry weather.

Try sowing earlier next year, mine went into loo rolls in late January and they are now finished and something else is growing in their place. This is only one of the crops that I can say is good this year.

[Caro]

Thanks roitelet.

I think you're right, it may just have been too dry for good polination.

There's always next year (plus the couple of handfuls i picked at the edge of a field the other day )

[chris]

I tried to grow some sutton broadies in pots (builders buckets, with a flower bucket on top, in the centre to give it more height and room for roots) - they set flowers, but the fruit never form, despite bees all over them. My broadies in beds did fine. Just picked a load the last night.. so won't be growing them in pots again, I guess the roots were too restricted or I didn't water enough.

[rustylady]

Beans and peas never seem to do well in pots.

[Two_Sheds]

I tried to grow some sutton broadies....with a flower bucket on top, in the centre to give it more height and room for roots

Broadies don't have a large root system...?

[chris]

TS - When I thinned this particular plant out it had a large tap root, which was longer than the bucket was tall - so thought I'd give it the extra bit of height.. The roots had filled the flower bucket on top, and the long tap root was still there.

Perhaps due to being exposed to high winds where it was planted? No sure, it was an experiment anyway

[Two_Sheds]

Wow.
A tap root that big? I shouldn't say I don't believe it, so what I mean to say is that I've never seen it. Broadies grow really well on my site, lots of crops, but they tend to be pretty shallow rooted.
They never have those nitrogen nodules that we're always told about either, so I rip them up and compost them.

[chris]

I thought it was normal after pulling it up and it was still intact - hence why I thought I'll give it a go in a bucket rather than just chuck it away. Waste of water though, won't be doing it again heh

[northepaul]

I overwintered some Aquadulce in large buckets and had loads of beans early this year from them. I planted some suttons and crimson flowered ones in my veg bed and had the same problems as mentioned above - infact I pulled up the crimson flowered ones as they didnt produce a single bean.(Cant afford to waste the space) The Suttons have very few beans - maybe half a dozen between all of them.....I wont be bothering with those verieties next year.

[oldie]

My Suttons have done brilliantly this year, but they have been in a shaded spot which stays quite damp. I suspect the problem is not the variety but the hot weather at the wrong time. Runner beans do not set well in hot weather, I misted the flowers every enening to assist.

[Polly Fouracre]

I've also had a poor crop of Broadies this year and they are my favourite. I think Autumn sown beans would do better.