Topic: Runner beans seeds

[valmarg]

for great pollination, spray the blooms with a 'mister' in the morning ;)

I don't know if that would have helped.  We had a very large pot (difficult to move in full growth).  Where we put it was in full sun during the Spring warm spell, and the beans just didn't like it. :-[

We've been doing this with climbing french beans with great success for several years, so thought it worth a try.  Shall try again this year, but will put the pot in a much cooler, more shaded spot. ;D

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

Frenchies are naturally self-pollinating, and efficient at it. We don't know how efficient this runner bean is.

[Ninnyscrops.]

I always plant a long double row of Scarlet Emps from saved seed since I had my plot (2005). A plant each side of the pole in a good trench fill with kitchen waste and a bit of garden compost then back filled with the clay soil. I've never misted any of them since the bees have done all the pollination for me (thank you bees  :)). Grown both east to west and north to south and it didn't make a tad of difference to the crops over the years.

Going back to the original post, haven't bought a seed since my first Scarlet crop, rugbypost. Tried others but like Painted Lady, but didn't get the taste or the prolific crop so not for me.

My tu'penny worth  ;)

Ninny

[valmarg]

Frenchies are naturally self-pollinating, and efficient at it. We don't know how efficient this runner bean is.

True, but until you've tried you won't know.  Anyway, giving it another whirl this year. ;D

valmarg

[RW]

Always save my own seed as well. No need to encourage a high yield - always have too many and cut them up for chicken feed.

[woodypecks]

Growing Crusader this year, anyone tried them ?  Also I found " Blue Lake " CLIMBING French Beans did really, really well  and I vowed to grow more of them this coming season .

[pumkinlover]

Always save my own seed as well. No need to encourage a high yield - always have too many and cut them up for chicken feed.

is that cooked??
Anne x

[valmarg]

Oh dear, rather than save seed, which I can't be bothered to do much prefer F1 hybrids, such as Red Rum, White Lady.

valmarg

[Tonythegardener]

Both Red Rum and Aintree are my favourite runner beans.  I found that Red Rum was not as early as Aintree and it did not crop as heavily. 
We had too many beans in any case. 

This year I will be planting
Runner Bean Aintree Seeds from Marshalls - I could not find them anywhere else. 

Someone has given me: Runner Bean Streamline and Runner Bean White Apollo so I will be trying a few of these too. 

[cornykev]

A dead heat I reckon.    :-X :-X :-X

[valmarg]

Oh dear, looking at my last post about ssving seed, I might have seemed a bit nangy.

The main varieties we grow are Red Rum and White Lady, both of which are F1s.

Last year OH did a brilliant job of succession sowing, and we had a very good year of succession picking. ;D ;D

We never had an enormous glut, but we did manage plenty of beans.

valmarg

[birdsrfun]

Always save seed - dead easy - leave a few pods on at end of season when their are always a few missed/hiding away in the foliage.
Tried growing them in potato grow bags (9.95 for 3 from Marshalls) last year. Scrunched up newspaper in the bottom for water retention and to lessen amount of compost needed and they were great. Could water easily and put them wherever, mine were in full sun, no problems and this year the compost from them will go on plot.