How long can runner beans be highly productive?

[GrannieAnnie]

Just wondering because mine always seem to do poorly this time of year.
Is it because I don't keep up picking the ripe ones? ( This becomes impossible)
Or because the stems are such a long distance now from the roots?
Or less rainfall this time of year (though I periodically water)?
Or lower light levels?

Should I be replanting runner beans mid-summer?

[GrannieAnnie]

[Bugloss2009]

ours tend to have a rest and then pick up again, especially if the late summer is warm and wet, but it is recommended (by someone) that later sowings of runners do give an extended season or more of a continuous supply

doesn't work for climbing french beans, for me anyway, but does for dwarf french beans

[Digeroo]

I feel it is very important to pick all the pods  Any left will result in the plant switching off.  If in doubt take them off and throw them away.

My beans normally get a sooty mould on the leaves and give up so I sow them every few weeks so there are a succession of new plants with nice green leaves.  But this has not happened so far this year.

I start a new set off near the beginning of July.    This year it was 8th July just before the new moon.  They started flowering last week and hopefully wil provide pods until the frost gets it.  I have managed in the past to keep them going until the middle of November.  If there is a light frost I cover with plastic or sheeting will keep it going for a few days. 

I normally manage runner beans from beginning of July until beginning of November but the heat this year meant that the flowers kept falling off so had to eat french in july this year..

[GrannieAnnie]

Thank you both. Will try a second planting next year though July tends to be very hot and dry here.
I'll be covering tomatoes so might try covering a few beans also, Digeroo.

[Digeroo]

I don't find that runner beans mind the heat as plants though they will need a lot of water.  They just will not produce pods when it is hot.  But the plants will grow fast then then set pods when it cools off. 

When do your frosts start? A quick search you are very similar to here.

I presume you get the same thing as here that when it is hot the flowers tend to drop off even if the bees have visited.  I have grown a new variety of self fertile ones but they fell off as well.  I think they like a little rain on the flowers to set pods.  I have been told to spray them with water but I have not found this works a well as a good shower of rain.

[Kepouros]

Unless there are unusually severe early frosts I always to expect to pick my last runner beans at the end of October, although I do occasionally get them  in  early November.

From the time they start producing (beginning of August with me) they keep going without flagging until the frosts stop production.  Every bean must be picked as soon as it is ready - no `old stagers` must be left on or these will stop production - I eat as many as I possibly can, and throughout August and September every visitor to the house goes away with a large bagful.  (I have 18 plants)

The secret (as I have mentioned many times before) is a dedicated runner bean trench.  Mine was dug in 1978, was dug 3ft deep, and was backfilled with a mixture comprising my old TA uniforms and greatcoat, the contents of 3 flock mattresses, a cupboardfull of worn out blankets, and a large quantity of half rotted leaves, grass cuttings and compost, all mixed in with some of the original sub soil, then the topsoil replaced.  The only attention  it has ever needed since is a very occasional barrowload of compost worked into the top 6 inches.   Once the beans commence flowering the row gets 6 gallons of water on every day that rain doesn`t fall.

My favoiurite variety is Enorma, and the average picking size is 12 - 13 inches, at which there are no stringy bits.

[GrannieAnnie]

Unless there are unusually severe early frosts I always to expect to pick my last runner beans at the end of October, although I do occasionally get them  in  early November.

From the time they start producing (beginning of August with me) they keep going without flagging until the frosts stop production.  Every bean must be picked as soon as it is ready - no `old stagers` must be left on or these will stop production - I eat as many as I possibly can, and throughout August and September every visitor to the house goes away with a large bagful.  (I have 18 plants)

The secret (as I have mentioned many times before) is a dedicated runner bean trench.  Mine was dug in 1978, was dug 3ft deep, and was backfilled with a mixture comprising my old TA uniforms and greatcoat, the contents of 3 flock mattresses, a cupboardfull of worn out blankets, and a large quantity of half rotted leaves, grass cuttings and compost, all mixed in with some of the original sub soil, then the topsoil replaced.  The only attention  it has ever needed since is a very occasional barrowload of compost worked into the top 6 inches.   Once the beans commence flowering the row gets 6 gallons of water on every day that rain doesn`t fall.

My favoiurite variety is Enorma, and the average picking size is 12 - 13 inches, at which there are no stringy bits.

Oh my goodness...Does this mean I have to sort out my bedroom closet before next Spring? ;D plus 6 gallons of water per day. That ain't gonna happen here!  But it certainly sounds like a wonderful goal- for somebody.

[goodlife]

 ;D...I'm considering now digging my nickers in..only those that are coming to the end of the service.. ;)..it's a bit cold here in winter to go totally without  :o

[Digeroo]

If the same beans keep going you obviously have no problems with sooty mildew on the leaves.  I think it is called chocolate spot, though it is not spots it is all over the leaves.

Mine certainly had copious amounts of water during July one day they got two helpings.  It is rather odd after four months not having to heave can loads of water about the place.  I dig a trench every year and throw in bio matter including bank statements and other confidential pieces of paper, leaves, compost etc and then sow with green manure for the winter.  This year I have magnificent beans. 

[allaboutliverpool]

I have found that although frost is the final nail in the coffin, the cold in general slows down growth and the 3 years figures below do not necessarily relate to the first frost.

2007 first picking 30/6/07 last picking 10/11/07 first frost 11/11/07 135 days cropping
2008 first picking 23/7/08        do        3/10/08       do      28/10/08  74         do
2009 first picking 10/7/09        do       21/10/09      do        8/11/09  104       do
2010 first picking 14/7/10

Of great interest is the poor crop in  2008 when October was particularly cold, the first 5 nights all between 8.4 and 6.1 minimums which finished the vines off showing that frost itself is not necessarily the only killer.
There were also 76 mm of rain in a week with no sunshine at the time which presumably contributed.

PS Before I came to Nice for 2 weeks, I stripped my runner beans of even the smallest beans -also the courgettes.

I used to get friends to help themselves to beans and courgettes, but they do such a poor job that they leave some to mature and production virtually stops.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Beans_Runner.html

[Kepouros]

;D...I'm considering now digging my nickers in..only those that are coming to the end of the service.. ;)..it's a bit cold here in winter to go totally without  :o

Not only your knickers, but also your long woollen drawers, your flannelette petticoats and pantaloons, your woollen combinations, and your sheepskin liberty bodice ( always assuming that you no longer wear them). They`ll make your beans go on on a lot longer

[Mr Smith]

I have had some good results from my Runners this year the stringless variety, but the last lot I picked they seem to be going a bit over the top and stringy so this morning I pulled the lot up and put them in the compost, :)

[GrannieAnnie]

Kepourus-  Humph! I find I'm fresh out of Liberty Bodices! In fact I had to Google the term to learn I've never owned one,
so shall have to dig a new trench and fill with rags and old towels, newspapers and such. The beans needed to be moved anyway. I'm tired of crawling under the over grown vines to reach the tomatoes. Hubby will be overjoyed to move my posts again. ::)

AllaboutLiverpool- thank you for cold/frost data. Our first frost is Oct 6 so perhaps it is stretching to hope for beans in Oct. We've had some night in the 50's already. Ive been lax about picking all the old beans which is probably why they're quitting on us early.