Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very few
beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which in
anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

In article HGExi.389$vP5.275@edtnps90,
"Pinetree" writes:
|
| Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very few
| beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which in
| anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Possibly a lack of bees, especially bumble bees. Other causes can
include cold and drought, but the usual symptoms of those are a lack
of flowers.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 18 Aug, 16:58, "Pinetree" wrote:
Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very few
beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which in
anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Where are you? Have they been well watered by the rain? I have had
the biggest bean crop ever which I have put down to the rain.

Pam in Bristol wrote:
:: On 18 Aug, 16:58, "Pinetree" wrote:
::: Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but
::: very few beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely
::: not slugs, which in anycase would not just target the beans ...
::: Pinetree
::
:: Where are you? Have they been well watered by the rain? I have had
:: the biggest bean crop ever which I have put down to the rain.

We've had the biggest crops ever here too on our field and still they come.
Lack of bees perhaps or presence of two legged rats, certainly not lack of
water ?

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article HGExi.389$vP5.275@edtnps90,
"Pinetree" writes:
|
| Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very
few
| beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs,
which in
| anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Possibly a lack of bees, especially bumble bees. Other causes can
include cold and drought, but the usual symptoms of those are a lack
of flowers.

I was taught to spray the beans to make them 'fruit'!

"Pinetree" wrote in message
news:HGExi.389$vP5.275@edtnps90...

Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very few
beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which
in
anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Lack of fertilisation, the wet weather has stopped insects flying and kept
numbers down generally?


--
Chris, West Cork, Ireland.
Festina lente

"Pam in Bristol" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 18 Aug, 16:58, "Pinetree" wrote:
Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very few
beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which
in
anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Where are you? Have they been well watered by the rain? I have had
the biggest bean crop ever which I have put down to the rain.

I've had a good one too - in fact it continues. Late to start though.

We're not yet beaned out, we love them!

Mary

"Cerumen" wrote in message
...

"Pinetree" wrote in message
news:HGExi.389$vP5.275@edtnps90...

Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very few
beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which
in
anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Lack of fertilisation, the wet weather has stopped insects flying and kept
numbers down generally?

There have been lots of bumble bees on ours - and different ones too, not
just from the nest in our garden.

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"Cerumen" wrote in message
...

"Pinetree" wrote in message
news:HGExi.389$vP5.275@edtnps90...

Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very
few
beans this year. What might be the reason? Definitely not slugs, which
in
anycase would not just target the beans ... Pinetree

Lack of fertilisation, the wet weather has stopped insects flying and
kept numbers down generally?

There have been lots of bumble bees on ours - and different ones too, not
just from the nest in our garden.

Different areas have of course been different, I have had a poor insect year
and just wondered if the original poster had been the same. I was once told
that pollination of runners was helped by light water spraying but can't
remember where I got that from. My garden is normally noisy with insects but
this year it has been noticeably quiet.


--
Chris, West Cork, Ireland.
Festina lente

"Cerumen" wrote in message
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
"Cerumen" wrote in message
"Pinetree" wrote in message

Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very
few
beans this year. What might be the reason?

Lack of fertilisation, the wet weather has stopped insects flying and
kept numbers down generally?

There have been lots of bumble bees on ours - and different ones too, not
just from the nest in our garden.

Different areas have of course been different, I have had a poor insect
year and just wondered if the original poster had been the same. I was
once told that pollination of runners was helped by light water spraying
but can't remember where I got that from. My garden is normally noisy with
insects but this year it has been noticeably quiet.

Scarlet Runners won't set beans if it's too warm at night. The old trick is
to spray the flowers with cold water in the evening. Here in Oz, the advice
is to now use iced water in a spray bottle in the evening.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
"Cerumen" wrote in message
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
"Cerumen" wrote in message
"Pinetree" wrote in message

Had abundant scarlet blooms, nice healthy dark green leaves, but very
few
beans this year. What might be the reason?

Lack of fertilisation, the wet weather has stopped insects flying and
kept numbers down generally?

There have been lots of bumble bees on ours - and different ones too,
not just from the nest in our garden.

Different areas have of course been different, I have had a poor insect
year and just wondered if the original poster had been the same. I was
once told that pollination of runners was helped by light water spraying
but can't remember where I got that from. My garden is normally noisy
with insects but this year it has been noticeably quiet.

Scarlet Runners won't set beans if it's too warm at night. The old trick
is to spray the flowers with cold water in the evening. Here in Oz, the
advice is to now use iced water in a spray bottle in the evening.
Ah so my rather suspect memory has some validity then, that's nice to know.


--
Chris. West Cork. Ireland
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you fight with your neighbor.It
makes you shoot at your landlord and it makes you miss him." - Irish Proverb

In article ,
"Cerumen" writes:
| "FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
| ...
|
| Scarlet Runners won't set beans if it's too warm at night. The old trick
| is to spray the flowers with cold water in the evening. Here in Oz, the
| advice is to now use iced water in a spray bottle in the evening.
|
| Ah so my rather suspect memory has some validity then, that's nice to know.

However, the RHS did an investigation in the UK. Spraying with water
had virtually no effect - the key is that they don't set (or even
flower) in dry conditions. My experience is that here, on sandy soil
in Cambridge, watering is not enough - if the air is very dry, and
they are well-watered, they will flower but not set.

Spraying with water might work if you kept it up semi-continuously.
Very warm nights are very rare here, and almost unknown after August.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.