Cross pollination?

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I have just taken my French Climbing Beans out of the pods as some were going mouldy, and some of them are huge! My neighbour  has grown runners as he does every year, my first year growing the french type. Do they cross pollinate?

I have a feeling I know what the answer is already, but it would be nice to know for definate. And what Im likely to expect if they do cross :-\

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[Tee Gee]

I have just taken my French Climbing Beans out of the pods as some were going mouldy, and some of them are huge!

Personally I would bin those that have gone mouldy.

Those that are OK I would let them(the beans) dry before packaging them up.

Do they cross pollinate?

I am sure they might but not as you might notice.

If like me you always select your best seed each year you will eventually end up with a variety of seed that you can't buy, but it will be one that is well suited to your growing conditions, so what better can you have.

So I tend to ignore the 'cross pollination issue'

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Smashing Tee Gee, thanks. Will go and remove the beans that came out of the mouldy pods....glad I kept them seperate now :D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

no they don't cross pollinate, French beans and runners are different species. Runner beans will cross with other runner beans over some distance (like broad beans do), so if you save seeds they may not come true. French beans don't much cross pollinate with each other (unlike French people)

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 ;D ;D ;D Thanks RT, specially for the giggle!

Good to know.....I did not know they were different species, I thought all beans were beans. You learn something every day :D

[Tee Gee]

Do they cross pollinate?

Do you mean cross pollinating with other French beans or did you mean cross pollination with Runner beans?

If you mean the former then I stick to my reply but if you meant the latter I'm with RT

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Yes its the latter......I grew french climbers, my neighbour grew runners.

I shall also be aware of putting french beans of differing varieties together ;)