Topic: Interesting observation

[mc55]

I ended up having to resow my beans, they seemed to disolve into mush.  They are doing fairly well now, but way behind last years.

[artichoke]

Here in the South East I am disappointed in my dwarf beans, the "tepee" type that hold the beans up above the leaves. I have picked some, but they won't go on for long, small weak plants. Runners and climbing french beans are well up their poles and starting to flower, but not looking as robust as usual.

The gigandes are 7' foot tall and flowering, but no beans yet.

[bionear2]

Having had our runner flayed by the winds last year, and only getting flowers from 3 feet up, we planted late.
We also have walls of micro-mesh, 3ft and 4ft tall, which get used for protecting all sorts of crops(canes in sewn pockets hold them up.)
This year they went around the bean teepees first, and when the winds arrived again(and again), the newly planted beans were sheltered - at the cost of just a few snapped canes. All types are now flowering right to the tops.
(And their walls are round the carrot beds to foil the fly, and keeping cabbage whites off the brassicas)

[Debs]

My beans are rubbish too (dwarf french).
The weather hasn't helped - seemingly continuous grey,cloud and heavy rain.

When is the sun going to shine???

Debs  :(

[asbean]

Broadies have been romping away - lots eaten, frozen and given away
Early Frenchies - prolific - most have been frozen for the winter
Climbing frenchies - getting off to a good start
Runners - slow to start, but now loads of flowers tho few are setting
Borlotti - dwarf coming along steadily, climbers almost totally eaten by pigeons

Will be sowing late frenchies soon

[debster]

mine are finally improving, the purple podded have been fab, the runners now have tiny beans on them but no where near last years standard yet, i was even earlier this year then last but its made no difference at, my other french beans are now well in flower but no more then that, can only hope for a late crop, sad fact is i am away and therefore they will ripen when my friend is staying, still at least they wont go to waste  :)

[Jitterbug]

When I went to feed the French beans this Tuesday, to my amazement I found that there were actually about a pound of beans once picked. I had not really seen any major flower action there and the plants do not seem as strong as last year but the beans lower down seem to have made it. I gave all the beans a good feed of seaweed and made a note the bean frame and its environs need a major weeding.

I also harvested some lovely beetroot and once home managed to pickle 3 pounds of beetroot and blanched the French beans for the freezer. Just enough to either add to a stew or serve as a vegetable side dish. I am however sure that I will be adding to them shortly.

Jitterbug

[theothermarg]

had lots of trouble with beans this year! most have started up the canes but a few in the middle just wither and die  :'( I have transplanted healthy ones from other places but the same happens to them
going to dig out the earth and replace it and put a different bean I,v stated off in modules and see if it makes a difference then pray for a good autumn :D
marg

[loopyloulou]

i was begining to think it was me, being a newbie, but my beans arent up to much either, the dwarfs flower but never any blumin beans, we proudly picked all 4 off the borlottis last weekend (desperate for beans n ate them like runners!) jacks bean stalk (kids) well lets just say they wont be any giants on that stalk, there may be plenty of clouds but theres no good if theyre not reaching them, red king i think the others are not up to much either, going to try and get a small sowing of other types in but as i cant even get them started at home now i dont think im liable to get anywhere, may just pop a few in round the base of the others, somehow i think even if they do start theyre not going to crowd each other, siiigh,  i thought beans were meant 2b easy????

[Jeannine]

Loopylou. don't give up. they are usually easy, I started this thread and was very puzzled as to what is happening, usually I am overwhelmed with them, tomorrow I am pulling my dwarfs out and using the space for something else. I generally grow lots of varieties. Just a bad year I think XX Jeannine

[Tyke]

My runners are only just flowering - had to replace them a while back because they died in frosts. Looking very weak and pale despite plenty of manure and raised bed.

I have some dwarf green beans ready to go out this weekend hopefully. I sowed them in a greenhouse that i keep largely closed and they have been flowering for weeks - i can see little pods on them! Any runners i put in greenhouse died quickly from the heat...

[LesH]

Hi, the B/B are large this year and the crop is the best for over ten years. The runners are slow to start but we've had two meals and put one bag into the freezer. Again the climbing french beans are slow to start, but we,ve had one picking for ourselves and my grandaughter pick enough this morning to see my daughters family thro the week.

[posie]

My french beans and my runners are all picking up now, dwarf broad beans are dreadful though and not a pea plant in sight.  Can anyone recommend a late pea I could try?

[LesH]

Hi Posie, don't try a late type as they are too long in the ground to come to maturity, try Early onward, feltham first kelvedon wonder or little marvel. Any of those should only be in the ground for twelve weeks until they crop.

[meg_gordon]

I love this site - I now feel much better about my awful beans.  This is my first year growing them.  After I successfully grew potatoes (Wiljas) in tubs last year, I was excited about growing other veggies in tubs this year.  My onions have bolted, my potatoes (Epicures) are low cropping, my peas have outgrown their supports and wave about in the wind, AND - the bl**dy squirrel keeps digging my corn and leeks out to bury his peanuts!!!  Is it just a bad year?  Back to the drawing board ......

Anyone else "tub gardening"?  Would be interesting to compare.

Meg  :'(

[oakmore2]

Hi Meg
I've just taken on an allotment, and have got various things growing in tubs whilst I prepare the ground (long job!). My dwarf runners and dwarf french beans have been rubbish, picking about 3 beans off each week! My sweetcorn are going slowly (but surely) and lots of flowers on the toms, so hopefully Ok there. Courgettes doing OK too. That's about all I've tried so far.
It's amazing what you can achieve in a few tubs though (when the rabbits will leave me alone!).

[meg_gordon]

Yes Oakmore - it certainly is amazing - although I am a bit unsure about what to do with the compost after I have harvested - I have grown peas this year in the same compost I grew potatoes in last year and it seems to be ok - I think i can grow brassicas next year before I have to dump the compost.  It is quite an expensive hobby if I cant :)

Meg

[posie]

Thanks LesH.  I had 1 teeny weeny seedling that came up beginning of this week and despite careful nurturing, lots of talking to it - it sadly kicked the bucket this morning! So off to the garden centre I go lol