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Runner Bean problem

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Digeroo:
Having planted them out they soon got about 1/4 the way up the poles and then no further.  They have been watered and fed.  But progress has been very slow.  Has anyone any suggestions please.
No aphids.  No manure, we are having problems again but these beans did not have any.  Plants good colour.   
It may be the mole.  I keep finding holes.  The little critter seems to be diving between patches of soil which have been watered. 

galina:
Yes moles are a pain indeed.  Here moles have also been doing damage as no more than spot watering is possible, the worms retreat to any remaining damp spots in the soil and the moles migrate after them and dig up the roots.  Or cause cavities under the soil which means the roots can't extend downwards to find more water.

Now I am not going to insult you by saying that there are short runnerbean varieties, but it could be possible that the seed company had a mix-up between varieties. 

Do other people have particular difficulties with just runnerbeans?  Normally they grow fine but just don't set in weather like we are having.  Chances are that it is also this crazy weather responsible for your growing problem and that they really would need much more water.  I take it you have tried flooding them and then mulching to preserve moisture.  But with adjacent ground drying so fast, this is also only going to be of limited benefit.  I have 3 inch cracks in our soil inches away from plants that are regularly watered and of course the clay has set like concrete.  I have never seen it this bad.  A difficult year for many gardeners.   :BangHead:

Borderers1951:
My runners are doing well and although there are moles in the site, a few well-sited 'windmills' have helped stop them getting to my plot and a helping of ferret muck dug into their runs also seems to put them off.  The resident rabbits also moved out.

Digeroo:
I will get a windmill going and hope that deters the mole.  Ferret muck sounds interesting.  Need a ferret!!!

I thought about a short variety, but two have now started growing again and getting towards the top of the pole.  They are supposed to be Firestorm.  Rest still slow.

I grew Jackpot last year and they were supposed to be dwarf but quite a large percent went climbing.

I have Moonlight on my other plot and they are right up to the top of the poles.    Not had problems with beans apart from the contaminated manure years.

Paulh:
My Moonlight on one side of the frame have been sitting low, producing multiple stems but not going up the poles, while the Scarlet Emperor on the other side (after poor germination) have reached for the sky and are flowering. I think the weather has had a lot to do with it.

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