Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

I looked at the FAQ, tried to access "Garden Beans", but was unable to
access the web site...

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

The leaves have also been eaten away to some extent, but I was only able
to find a tiny black caterpillar on one, and I do use slug pellets when
the weather is damp.
I'm sure there is a well known cause of this...
;-)
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Gordon H wrote:
I looked at the FAQ, tried to access "Garden Beans", but was unable to
access the web site...

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

The leaves have also been eaten away to some extent, but I was only able
to find a tiny black caterpillar on one, and I do use slug pellets when
the weather is damp.
I'm sure there is a well known cause of this...
;-)

Birds my man, good ole common or garden birds. Trained I believe by
Alfred Hitchcock....I think.;-)

Bobbie

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

"Bobbie" wrote in message
Gordon H wrote:

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.


Birds my man, good ole common or garden birds. Trained I believe by Alfred
Hitchcock....I think.;-)

Bobbie

Sparrows are the worse culpits. The answer next year, if you have the space,
is to grow at least 2 rows and try and bore them to death.

Bertie

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Bertie Doe
writes
"Bobbie" wrote in message
Gordon H wrote:

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

Birds my man, good ole common or garden birds. Trained I believe by Alfred
Hitchcock....I think.;-)
Bobbie

Sparrows are the worse culpits. The answer next year, if you have the space,
is to grow at least 2 rows and try and bore them to death.
Bertie

GRONE
My garden is littered with sparrows, I have even stopped filling the
feeders because they have mobbed away the brightly painted birds
(goldfinches). Yet birdwatchers everywhere say they are in
decline...
Had some nice greenfinches on the nut feeder today though...
Oh well, I suppose I'd better dig out some netting, if I still have some
in my garage.
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

"Gordon H" wrote in message
...
In message , Bertie Doe
writes
"Bobbie" wrote in message
Gordon H wrote:

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

Birds my man, good ole common or garden birds. Trained I believe by
Alfred
Hitchcock....I think.;-)
Bobbie

Sparrows are the worse culpits. The answer next year, if you have the
space,
is to grow at least 2 rows and try and bore them to death.
Bertie

GRONE
My garden is littered with sparrows, I have even stopped filling the
feeders because they have mobbed away the brightly painted birds
(goldfinches). Yet birdwatchers everywhere say they are in
decline...
Had some nice greenfinches on the nut feeder today though...
Oh well, I suppose I'd better dig out some netting, if I still have some
in my garage.


Don't be in too much hurry to blame the sparrows. I am sure I read that
some bees will do this when they cannot get into the flower. If only I
could remember where.

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Christina Websell
writes

"Gordon H" wrote in message
...
In message , Bertie Doe
writes
"Bobbie" wrote in message
Gordon H wrote:

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

Birds my man, good ole common or garden birds. Trained I believe by
Alfred
Hitchcock....I think.;-)
Bobbie

Sparrows are the worse culpits. The answer next year, if you have the
space,
is to grow at least 2 rows and try and bore them to death.
Bertie

GRONE
My garden is littered with sparrows, I have even stopped filling the
feeders because they have mobbed away the brightly painted birds
(goldfinches). Yet birdwatchers everywhere say they are in
decline...
Had some nice greenfinches on the nut feeder today though...
Oh well, I suppose I'd better dig out some netting, if I still have some
in my garage.

Don't be in too much hurry to blame the sparrows. I am sure I read that
some bees will do this when they cannot get into the flower. If only I
could remember where.

I did think it might have been an insect, something with pincers, but .
.. .
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Bertie Doe wrote:

"Bobbie" wrote in message
Gordon H wrote:

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating
problem on previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.


Birds my man, good ole common or garden birds. Trained I believe by Alfred
Hitchcock....I think.;-)

Bobbie

Sparrows are the worse culpits. The answer next year, if you have the space,
is to grow at least 2 rows and try and bore them to death.

Bertie

We see many sparrows in our garden, and I have 3 feeders out for them.
Never once have I seen them on the runner beans. Maybe Cornish sparrows
have different tastes. Cream teas and pasties perhaps.
--
He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I
could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far
from being gruntled.
P.G. Wodehouse 1881 -1975

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...



Don't be in too much hurry to blame the sparrows. I am sure I read that
some bees will do this when they cannot get into the flower. If only I
could remember where.

Bumble bees will make a hole in the corolla from the outside to get at the
nectar, it doesn't usually prevent pollination though and I've never seen
them nip off the flkower.

Nor anything else, come to that - but I don't spend all my time watching
runner beans :-)

Mary

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Mary Fisher
writes

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

Don't be in too much hurry to blame the sparrows. I am sure I read that
some bees will do this when they cannot get into the flower. If only I
could remember where.

Bumble bees will make a hole in the corolla from the outside to get at the
nectar, it doesn't usually prevent pollination though and I've never seen
them nip off the flkower.

Nor anything else, come to that - but I don't spend all my time watching
runner beans :-)

Mary

Neither do I, they don't move much in the five minutes or so I devote to
them every morning.
Unlike the wood pigeon which walked round and round the squirrel proof
feeding table the whole time I was eating breakfast this morning.
The upturned hanging basket cage defeats them all, but bears the scars
of squirrel teeth.
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

"Gordon H" wrote in message
...
I looked at the FAQ, tried to access "Garden Beans", but was unable to
access the web site...

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else dropped
off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating problem on
previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

The leaves have also been eaten away to some extent, but I was only able
to find a tiny black caterpillar on one, and I do use slug pellets when
the weather is damp.
I'm sure there is a well known cause of this...
;-)
--
Gordon H

t could be the flowers have failed to pollinate and have simply dropped of,
or the weather has been too cold, depends where you live , here in the
midlands we have had some nights well below 10 degrees centigrade this will
cause flower drop.
regards
Cineman

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

cineman wrote:

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else dropped
off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating problem on
previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

As cineman said, the simplest explanation is that they dropped off of
their own accord - too cold, not pollinated etc. In which case don't
worry - they'll soon start setting and no doubt you'll have more runner
beans than you know what to do with before you know it!

The leaves have also been eaten away to some extent, but I was only able
to find a tiny black caterpillar on one, and I do use slug pellets when
the weather is damp.

Most likely that will be slugs or snails. I don't find they're a major
problem on runner beans once they get established. The beans should
grow away and the slugs seem to concentrate on the lower leaves and
other plants within easier reach.

If the eaten leaves are higher up, have a close look on the supports
they're growing on - sometimes snails with a head for heights stay up
there in the daytime and eat the newer softer leaves at night. But
picking them off and chucking them away seems to deal with the problem.

Peter

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Peter Robinson writes
cineman wrote:

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else dropped
off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating problem on
previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

As cineman said, the simplest explanation is that they dropped off of
their own accord - too cold, not pollinated etc. In which case don't
worry - they'll soon start setting and no doubt you'll have more runner
beans than you know what to do with before you know it!

The leaves have also been eaten away to some extent, but I was only able
to find a tiny black caterpillar on one, and I do use slug pellets when
the weather is damp.

Most likely that will be slugs or snails. I don't find they're a major
problem on runner beans once they get established. The beans should
grow away and the slugs seem to concentrate on the lower leaves and
other plants within easier reach.

If the eaten leaves are higher up, have a close look on the supports
they're growing on - sometimes snails with a head for heights stay up
there in the daytime and eat the newer softer leaves at night. But
picking them off and chucking them away seems to deal with the problem.

My experience with beans is that slugs and snails go for the stems in
preference to the leaves, felling the entire plant just above the
ground.

--
Kay

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , cineman
writes
"Gordon H" wrote in message
...
I looked at the FAQ, tried to access "Garden Beans", but was unable to
access the web site...

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else dropped
off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating problem on
previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

t could be the flowers have failed to pollinate and have simply dropped of,
or the weather has been too cold, depends where you live , here in the
midlands we have had some nights well below 10 degrees centigrade this will
cause flower drop.
regards
Cineman

Not quite that cold here, it has stayed in double figures overnight, but
the good new is that a number of other beans have now set, so I will get
a crop. I would never be self-sufficient in veg with our short
growing season though...
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Peter Robinson
writes
cineman wrote:

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years, have
plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else dropped
off for some reason, and I remember having this frustrating problem on
previous crops, i.e. - losing the first few pods at least.

As cineman said, the simplest explanation is that they dropped off of
their own accord - too cold, not pollinated etc. In which case don't
worry - they'll soon start setting and no doubt you'll have more runner
beans than you know what to do with before you know it!

The leaves have also been eaten away to some extent, but I was only able
to find a tiny black caterpillar on one, and I do use slug pellets when
the weather is damp.

Most likely that will be slugs or snails. I don't find they're a major
problem on runner beans once they get established. The beans should
grow away and the slugs seem to concentrate on the lower leaves and
other plants within easier reach.

If the eaten leaves are higher up, have a close look on the supports
they're growing on - sometimes snails with a head for heights stay up
there in the daytime and eat the newer softer leaves at night. But
picking them off and chucking them away seems to deal with the problem.

Peter

Thanks. I am reluctant to snip in this post, but I think your first
paragraph was correct, I have others setting now!

The leaves on one plant have been eaten up to about 4ft from the ground,
but this is close to an untidy rhubarb clump with another broad leaf
plant[1]* adjacent, probably giving the snails a lift!

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

I will remember its name when I put down my pen. :-)
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

"K" wrote in message
...
Peter Robinson writes
cineman wrote:


My experience with beans is that slugs and snails go for the stems in
preference to the leaves, felling the entire plant just above the ground.

They've just done that with one of my sunflowers :-(

Mary

--
Kay

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Gordon H
writes

I think your first paragraph was correct, I have others setting now!

The leaves on one plant have been eaten up to about 4ft from the
ground, but this is close to an untidy rhubarb clump with another broad
leaf plant[1]* adjacent, probably giving the snails a lift!

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

I will remember its name when I put down my pen. :-)

I did. Crocosmia. :-)
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Mary Fisher writes

"K" wrote in message
...
Peter Robinson writes
cineman wrote:


My experience with beans is that slugs and snails go for the stems in
preference to the leaves, felling the entire plant just above the ground.

They've just done that with one of my sunflowers :-(

They love sunflowers. I've given up trying to grow them.
--
Kay

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

The message
from Gordon H contains these words:

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

My Japanese quince is often decorated with yellow and black
twirly-whirly ones.

Where are the mistle thrushes when you need them?

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Gordon H wrote:
Gordon H writes

I think your first paragraph was correct, I have others setting now!

The leaves on one plant have been eaten up to about 4ft from the
ground, but this is close to an untidy rhubarb clump with another broad
leaf plant[1]* adjacent, probably giving the snails a lift!

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

I will remember its name when I put down my pen. :-)

I did. Crocosmia. :-)

D'you want some copper, with which to make rings around your plants?

--
AnneJ

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:49:56 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


"K" wrote in message
...
Peter Robinson writes
cineman wrote:


My experience with beans is that slugs and snails go for the stems in
preference to the leaves, felling the entire plant just above the ground.

They've just done that with one of my sunflowers :-(

What I find annoying is when they eat through the stems of iris
flowers!


Pam in Bristol

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Anne Welsh Jackson
writes
Gordon H wrote:
Gordon H writes

I think your first paragraph was correct, I have others setting now!

The leaves on one plant have been eaten up to about 4ft from the
ground, but this is close to an untidy rhubarb clump with another broad
leaf plant[1]* adjacent, probably giving the snails a lift!

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

I will remember its name when I put down my pen. :-)
I did. Crocosmia. :-)

D'you want some copper, with which to make rings around your plants?

Always looking for an opening, aren'tcha? ;-)

I found the villain this morning, a slug, and the evidence of slime on
leaves almost 5ft of the ground. I tried a different approach, I had
some bran left over from feeding the meal worms which fed the birds, so
I spread some of that round the base of the plant. The slug didn't
seem to be too happy.
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

In message , Rusty Hinge
2 writes
The message
from Gordon H contains these words:

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

My Japanese quince is often decorated with yellow and black
twirly-whirly ones.

Where are the mistle thrushes when you need them?

None to be seen here, I'm afraid. Blackbirds don't bother with them,
but maybe the magpies do once I've crushed the shells.
--
Gordon H

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

K wrote:

My experience with beans is that slugs and snails go for the stems in
preference to the leaves, felling the entire plant just above the
ground.

Interesting. Are you talking about young plants? Certainly I've lost
several young plants like that this year, but mostly, I sow in pots
inside and only plant out when they're a bit taller. Once they get
established they seem to be able to cope with a bit of 'attention'.

The ones I tried to sow directly were almost a complete loss though.

Peter

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Gordon H wrote:

I am growing runner beans for the first time for quite a few years,
have plenty of flowers, but up to now only one tiny bean has "set".
The atrocious weather this week has slowed growth anyway.

Some of the flowers appear to have been neatly nipped off, or else
dropped off for some reason,

Thanks. I am reluctant to snip in this post,

I must be more ruthless!

but I think your first paragraph was correct, I have others setting now!

Good news!

The leaves on one plant have been eaten up to about 4ft from the ground,
but this is close to an untidy rhubarb clump with another broad leaf
plant[1]* adjacent, probably giving the snails a lift!

I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

Yes, now you come to mention it, I've found one or two in upstair
windows. I suppose their shells means snails can sometimes go where
slugs can't.

Peter

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Peter Robinson writes
K wrote:

My experience with beans is that slugs and snails go for the stems in
preference to the leaves, felling the entire plant just above the
ground.

Interesting. Are you talking about young plants? Certainly I've lost
several young plants like that this year, but mostly, I sow in pots
inside and only plant out when they're a bit taller. Once they get
established they seem to be able to cope with a bit of 'attention'.

Young plants they go for the lot, older plants (above 18 inches) have
toughened up a bit, but they can still be taken. I haven't had any
damage on leaves of older plants, but I have had them felled. It's
infuriating to have a 6ft bean with flowers and small beans forming,
then come out one morning and find it wilting with the stem rasped three
quarters of the way through.

Sunflowers similarly - it's the stem they go for. And citrus. And young
shoots of Butchers Broom. Citrus and Butchers Broom the stems do look
more tender than the leaves, presumably the same is true (to a snail's
eyes) of french and runner beans. With other plants it's the new shoots
that are vulnerable, notably clematis (a clematis can in effect vanish
simply because any new shoot is eaten overnight before you've even seen
it), and I've just and the central shoot eaten out of an Eryngium. :-(

--
Kay

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

"Peter Robinson" wrote in message
...

....


I have removed snails from bedroom window sills...

Yes, now you come to mention it, I've found one or two in upstair
windows. I suppose their shells means snails can sometimes go where
slugs can't.


I've picked slugs (only large ones) from the roof of the greenhouse, seen
them at the top of the garage wall and on the outside of the bathroom window
pane. The bathroom is on the first floor of an inter-war house, i.e. it's
not a modern, low ceiling'd building.

Mary

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

The message
from "Mary Fisher" contains these words:

I've picked slugs (only large ones) from the roof of the greenhouse, seen
them at the top of the garage wall and on the outside of the bathroom
window
pane. The bathroom is on the first floor of an inter-war house, i.e. it's
not a modern, low ceiling'd building.

I'm told that the big (BIG) slugs only eat rotting stuff and algae, so
if you have any pleurococcus (or similar) on your greenhouse, they might
do you a favour.

One of my neighbours has a very aptly-named 'greenhouse'...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

Rusty Hinge 2 writes
The message
from "Mary Fisher" contains these words:

I've picked slugs (only large ones) from the roof of the greenhouse, seen
them at the top of the garage wall and on the outside of the bathroom
window
pane. The bathroom is on the first floor of an inter-war house, i.e. it's
not a modern, low ceiling'd building.

I'm told that the big (BIG) slugs only eat rotting stuff and algae, so
if you have any pleurococcus (or similar) on your greenhouse, they might
do you a favour.

New Scientist had an article a year or two back about using slugs to
control bathroom algae. The best were the pretty yellow and grey ones.
--
Kay

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

The message
from K contains these words:

I'm told that the big (BIG) slugs only eat rotting stuff and algae, so
if you have any pleurococcus (or similar) on your greenhouse, they might
do you a favour.

New Scientist had an article a year or two back about using slugs to
control bathroom algae. The best were the pretty yellow and grey ones.

As long as you don't use pretty yellow and grey soap...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

Runner Bean Flowers "Nipped" Off
 

K wrote:

Young plants they go for the lot, older plants (above 18 inches) have
toughened up a bit, but they can still be taken. I haven't had any
damage on leaves of older plants, but I have had them felled. It's
infuriating to have a 6ft bean with flowers and small beans forming,
then come out one morning and find it wilting with the stem rasped three
quarters of the way through.

Gah! I imagine 'infuriating' doesn't come close! I will count myself
lucky that hasn't happened to me so far.

Sunflowers similarly - it's the stem they go for. And citrus. And young
shoots of Butchers Broom.

And dill, so it seems. I was most indignant to see my carefully planted
out dill slowly disappear this spring. I'd assumed that like other
herbs, especially fine leaved, drought tolerant ones, the slugs would
leave dill well alone.

It doesn't surprise me when that happens to lettuce, peas or whatever,
but igrowing dill from seed for the first time, it hadn't occurred to me
I'd need to protect it from slugs too.

Peter