Topic: Firestorm Runner Beans

[Plot22]

I do not grow many Runner Beans as they are far from our favourite veg. This year however I thought I would try Firestorm which are supposedly self fertile. I grew about 20 plants with no misses but the crop has been terrible plenty of leaves but hardly any flowers hence very few edible beans. I have enough seeds for several years but have thrown them away. Back to my regular Lady Di for next year . They may not be self fertile but at least they crop well.

[Tee Gee]

plenty of leaves but hardly any flowers

That suggests to me your soil had an abundance of 'nitrogen' and lacked 'potash' what was you feeding regime? (if any)

Add to that a lot would depend on the humidity at flowering time in order for the self pollination to take effect, i.e. if conditions were too dry (lacked humidity) this could allow most of the  pollen to blow away rather than stick to the stigma.

I am by no means an expert on the subject so this is only an opinion!

[Plot22]

Hi Tee Gee

I grew the beans at home rather than the allotment as its easier to pick and few get missed( my wife is an expert bean picker). I put to barrow loads of 3 year old farm yard manure in the site prior to planting out , regular watering and spraying the few flowers that I had with water to encourage them to set ( my dad's old trick which worked for him). I think this selfpollinating idea is too iffy hence back to basics next year which will have to be at the allotment as I need the space where I have grown the beans for something else .

[Tee Gee]

I think this self-pollinating idea is too iffy hence back to basics next year

I agree!

When I am considering changing from a tried and trusted variety to try something new I never put my eggs in the one basket!

Usually I grow around 70-80% of the tried variety and the balance with the new variety.

In this way I get a true comparison as they are both getting the same treatment*. I make my decision at the end of the season if I am going to go for the old or the new.

* Growing them in different years does not give a true comparison as weather conditions could be very different from one year to the next.

Then there is "The Memory" thing can you really remember how things were a year ago?

It certainly wouldn't be reliable with me as I can forget something from five minutes ago!

[johhnyco15]

im a moonlight fan myself infact have converted over half the site to them

[laurieuk]

We all have our own ideas about growing veg crops so this is just what I do, not suggesting you need to do the same, I now that it is often thought that spraying the flowers helps with pollination but I feel this will wet the pollen rather than help. I always try and make sure the plant are moist but not wet at the roots, I sow at about 5 intervals during the year starting about  mid April so that I pick until the frost starts. I used to save my own seed but now bein on an allotment I cannot control pollination so do not bother.