Runner Beans - White Flowered Varieties

[Rhys]

A lot of us seem to be suffering with poor setting of our red flowered runners this year because of the heat.

White flowered runners, such as 'White Lady', claim to set better in hot weather.

Has anyone grown any this year with more success than the red ones?

[Rhys]

[katynewbie]

 :-\

Not growing them myself, but the plot opposite is, his seem to look much the same as everyone elses red ones.

[tim]

Lucky that No1 Daughter went mad on French this year - self pollinating!

[valmarg]

Hi Rhys,

Growing both red (Red Rum, Lady Di, Fergi) varieties of runner beand, and also white flowered (White Lady and White Apollo).

Setting does not seem to be much different, ie not much of either!!!

Still, it's early days yet, and there is the possibility of having a glut?!!

(ASAP)!!!

valmarg

[Merry Tiller]

I'm growing red, white & pink ones, all are setting reasonably well, can't see any difference

[OllieC]

I'm growing Red Rum and White Lady, planted alternately. 10 of each and currently harvesting between 1 and 2 pounds a day. Sounds a lot but I would expect more. Lots more flowers though so maybe it'll pick up when it cools... if it cools...

My theory is that red flowers show up more on the ground so you notice more than with white ones when they fall off! Although I have little to support this apart from the yield being similar.

Interstingly, I filled the trench with 3 bags of fresh manure, which is another no-no, although I was desperate for something to hold in the water and it does seem to be doing something compared to the upsetting stories on here. Oh, and I've never misted. Not even a little.

Oh, White Lady is a much better looking pod, much more even and firmer but without being stringy. Also they seem a little larger.

[saddad]

I'm growing Painted Lady (Bi colour) and Sunset (pink) both have set some but not many yet.. will pick up now we have had some rain. Trick is to keep checking and not let one or two pods really set beans so they keep on flowering.. after all they were introduced as an ornamental. I prefer CFrench Beans. Growing Blue Coco, Purple Flowered and Top of the Pole, all excellent heritage varieties from Grow Organic seed library.
;D

[Garden Manager]

I dont think there is any one variety that does any better than others in hot dry conditions. What can help is to perhaps choose a cooler site to grow the runners in. In a slightly (not heavily) shaded site the plants need less water.

I grew my beans in full sun as normal but I had a few plants over and decided to pop them in a part of the plot that is lightly shaded. Here they arent part of the plot irrigation system and have to be done by hand. Consequently they get less water than the main crop. However they seem to be growing (and cropping) well. So with hotter summers due to become the norm this is perhaps an option (f of course you have the right conditions on the plot).

[redimp]

I always understood (from my Dad) that the whites were self pollinators.  He grows reds and whites as he says the whites do better when the summer is cold and the pollinators a less active.  Would have thought that this year the pollinators are active enough so it will be lack of water that is the problem thuse no difference between red and white.  I am growing Lady Di, White Emergo and Painted Lady to cover all bases.  Can't say anything about setting though because slugs and snails have put me about a month behind.  Have first flowers now.