Strange year.
We always grow Hunter type 'french' beans - very early & self-fertile.
This year, our Enorma & White Lady have been producing for 10 days, whilst the 'french' flowers are still mostly in bud.
I have my first runner too Tim, but as you say only bud on the CFBeans...
I think the strong winds have stopped mine climbing... Runners are just better at getting going up the poles... :-\
Runners planted 2 weeks ahead of beans but beans are ahead of the runners. Pretty sure that early blackfly on the runners to blame - for some reason the little b***rs left the french climbers alone.
We planted climbing "blue lake". Started in pots in early may and planted out in June. Loads of flowers and we are getting about 200g of beans per day.
Scraping off billions of black fly mind ::)!!
Haven't done runners this year so can't compare.
Purple podded French beans doing OK though. We're getting some but not as many as the Blue Lake
My Frenchies are only just getting their first flowers. The Trail of Tears beans haven't got that far yet.
I'm picking Cobra and they are boooootiful !!
We are growing Trail of Tears again this year and they are just starting to flower. Have noticed that they are branching ou a lot more this year than last. Have to keep getting them to go up their own poles.lol