Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Emagggie on August 20, 2009, 22:56:55
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For the first time in 30 years my runners are a dismal failure. I planted borlottis from saved seed, now all disappeared after only 2 pickings, and also Celebration of which 3 remain but no more flowers at present. I didn't do anything different, made the usual bean trench filled with compostables and horse poo etc. Still, the Parador courgettes planted in the same bed have been (and still are) magnificent.
Anyone else had a disappointing bean yield?
( the Yard Longs were a no show too, but that's the same as last year ::))
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Wouldn't say mine were a failure but really disappointed and one of my worst years as I haven't been able to get to the stage where I am sick to death of the things.
I grew Celebration this year and at first was really delighted with them, they were early and a nice long straight bean. But they finished really early and no second flush of flowers like you get when you sow something like Scarlet Emperor, Polestar, Painted Lady etc.
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there has been a lot of pollen beetle about this year, they bite their way in from behind the flower, and eat the pollen without pollinating the flower
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I must say that mine story is a tale of two rows..
Enorma, bumper crop where I am sick of eating / blanching / giving them away.
Butler, rubbish, lucky if I get a dozen beans a week.....
David
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Similar problems here, I'm growing painted lady and they have been poor - but then runners aren't my favourite so not a massive loss but a bit puzzling
1066
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I've grown a wigwam (8 canes) of Enorma and another of White Lady. They were badly hit by blackfly early on, but now they're going great guns! I've given them away, made chutney and still we can't move for them! Everyone on our site is the same.
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Doing OK here... Painted lady and Scarlet Emperor... but several people on site say they haven't done well...
:-\
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A month late & poor.
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Our Enorma are doing very well. The Cherokee are bloomin fantastic
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...
Anyone else had a disappointing bean yield? ...
It was amazingly dry at the wrong time this year! Runners need prodigeous quantities of water ... mine really suffered! They are only now picking up momentum! :-X
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I feel a bit better having read that I'm not alone, and I did a quick rece this morning on our site. Not many look that brilliant I must say. We do suffer with wind here ( ::) ;D) which has spoilt them in the past. Maybe I'll re-site them next year and go back to a tried and tested variety (by me).
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(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/Plot52/DSCN2931.jpg)
A couple of weeks ago... they are over the top now. Scarlet Emperor on the left and Painted Lady on the right... :)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/Plot52/DSCN2929.jpg)
A close up last week... but you have to lie down for this one... ::)
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I'm wading knee deep in the things at home- can't pick them fast enough and the plants are so heavy the wigwam has a dangerous list. Now I know why everyone else on our site seems to grow their runners on huge metal constructions!
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I too have been rather disapointed by the performance of my beans so far this year. After doing all the usual things (nice big trench filled with compost and shredded paper then left awhile before planting), most of the plants have only grown half way up the canes, when i usualy have to stop them when they get to the top. The plants are flowering but setting is poor. Conversely right next door I have french climbers that are doing brilliantly, giving a really good crop on healthy plants. It is a real mystery, as normaly the runners would be cropping like mad by now.
Also strange is the comparative performance of the frenchies - I wouldnt have expected them to be doing so well in a summer like this. Always beleived Runners needed cooler wetter summers and French the opposite. ???
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This is a relevant post , because -- when I read I look to see what part of the country
peeps do live in ! ;D
It helps to understand the problem if you live in Scotland or Cornwall ?
Please, just an area will do , ;)
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Runners are grown here in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, mainly
for that "pretty red flower" to climb up a trellis. If they do happen to let them bean then the snap them not French. That is if you are not English.
But we always grow them, but have found that they do NOT like the heat, and it does get hot here, last week with the humidity it felt like 108, that's hot and awful.;-))
This year the beans really have not been as good as norm and we think it is the weather. And you have had some pretty hot days in UK haven't you ???
We use wooden poles for them to climb on as Gerry (husband ) says that although the metal would be strong it would get too hot for the plants, some times too hot to touch with naked hand. Any way this was just our 2 cents worth
on why we think your beans are not so good this year. qahtan
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Great photos to make me jalous Saddad ;D. (Roald Dahl fan here). Yes I did lie down to view.
Pomona what variety do you grow?
I must add that my french beans - non climbers - are doing very well in similar conditions as the runners.
qahtan where I live, we have almost desert conditions, it is reputedly the driest place in England. Because of this I straw mulch like crazy when the ground is wet, but no good this year. A plotter told me this is the driest year for 30 years that he can remember. :o
GA, this seems to bear out your theory.
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My french beans have been fab as well. But what I forgot to mention earlier was that the Runners got an attack of black aphids earlier on, so I washed them off and pinched the tips of the plants. They now seem to have perked up again as I saw a good few new beans developing when I was on the plot today :D
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Essex was a desert ( less than 10" of rain pa) for most of the 90's... not just culturally.... ;D
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I don't know WHAT you mean ;D ;D ;D
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I am in Essex too and must say that have had and still picking mountains of beans. This is our first season so this could have something to do with it. I planted the seeds in pots during April and did not plant them out until mid May. They were slow to start and suffered initially with black fly during early July. Hosed them off every day and seemed to have controlled it. Planted White Lady and Best of All. I prefer White Lady as they seem to be a softer bean and to date have picked between 40 and 50 lb. Just as well there are two of us tending the plot. Our freezers, families and friends are nearly all beaned out. OH has just come from the freezer searching for an ice lolly and said 'the b.. freezer is full of beans' ::) ::)
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Essex was a desert ( less than 10" of rain pa) for most of the 90's... not just culturally.... ;D
think wigan was a swamp for the last 20 years ;D
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It still is...... ::)
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Before moving to Ontario, Canada, I lived in Angmering On Sea. Sussex. Had relatives in Essex, went there several times. :-)))) qahtan
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Qahtan that's a nice area. I used to stay with an aunt at nearby Shoreham when I was a youngster.
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Yes the Sussex coast is beautiful, did you ever get to Seaford, up to the Head, Seven Sisters,,,,,,, wonderful. Our favourite of favourite places.
We really miss the ocean.;-(((( qahtan
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/qahtan/general/cliffwave.jpg)
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We walked the South Downs Way a few years ago and by the time we got to the Seven Sisters I'm sure there were eight. ;D
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Yes the Sussex coast is beautiful, did you ever get to Seaford, up to the Head, Seven Sisters,,,,,,, wonderful. Our favourite of favourite places.
We really miss the ocean.;-(((( qahtan
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/qahtan/general/cliffwave.jpg)
Fairly regularly go that way for a walk - I prefer it in winter, with a bright blue sky, a nip in the air. just beautiful. Also like walking round the oxbow lake there as well. I also used to know angmering quite well (friends and family) that direction :D
1066
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I've grown Painted Lady this year and am picking every other day to keep on top of them. Absolutely gorgeous taste, with black pepper and butter I can eat them by the bowlful.
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I am in Dorset. I growing White Lady and have french bean 'Cobra' growing adjacent to the runners and are doing fantastically well. The runners are the worst i have ever known them. only grown halfway up the poles and are cropping poorly. Sorry to repeat myself but I am extremely disappointed. Usually get a really good crop. Apart from weather nothing has changed this year (were a bit late going in but should have caught up by now).
Weather here was dry for the first month they were in the ground, but were well watered via a drip feed irrigation system. July as we know was very wet, August (so far) drier with some rain at times. Plants have been fed with a high potash feed at least once to encourage flowering - which has occured but little setting of beans. No shortage of pollenating insects in good weather spells. I am mystified as to what the problem has been. ??? :'(
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garden assistant that is strange, is it the same seed / different seed supplier / saved seed ??
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our runners (Enorma) are ok but not as prolific as usual ... I reckon that we will get about 70% of what we got last year ... still enough mind.
Conversely, the climbing French (Cobra) have been the most prolific yet.
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I had some runner bean seeds from one of the members on here along with other seeds. White Lady, Johnsons seeds. Wow what a crop, they have just galloped away. Planted Pink Lady later and they are going to give us a good feed too! I am in Wales.
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garden assistant that is strange, is it the same seed / different seed supplier / saved seed ??
Would have to check but as far as i can remember its the same seed as normal from the same supplier (T&M). Not saved seed, fresh from a bought packet. Get back to you on that. Thanks
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Garden Assistant - it was just a thought .... :-\ that may or may not be the reason.
I think mine really struggled in June when it was so hot and dry here. But obviously a different area, a different soil......
1066