15-07-2004, 04:04 PM
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Runner Beans not setting
In article ,
(Steve Harris) writes:
| In article , (Bob Hobden)
| wrote:
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| A lot of the older gardeners spray their Runners with water every
| evening, and swear it helps setting.
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| Hessayon says "but recent research has shown that the practice of
| spraying the flowers is of little value. The best way to avoid trouble
| is to grow a white or pink-flowering variety"
I am pretty certain that the research is unreliable, and what it
should have said is that the practice isn't useful under at least
some realistic circumstances. The same research claimed that the
key was to ensure that they weren't dry at the roots, but I can
witness that doesn't always work, either, if the air is very dry.
What seems to be the case is that runner beans do not set well
if EITHER they are dry at the roots OR if the air is very dry (by
UK standards). It is more often grown for decoration in the USA,
and several Web pages refer to it not setting properly if the
temperature is above 90 Fahrenheit. I suspect that is as much
a relative humidity issue as an absolute temperature one, because
I have tested them with plenty of water at the roots and air
temperatures of 70-80 in the day and lower at night.
Under dry circumstances, French beans (climbing or dwarf) do
much better, but they can't take too much wet. Hence they are
the "common bean" in the USA, whereas the traditional Phaseolus
in the UK is the runner.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
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