On Tue, 9 Sep 2008 18:01:40 +0100, "Steve" wrote:

Hello all,

I was amazed to see this post as I have the opposite situation this year. I
am in Lincs and for the last five years I have been using 'Climbing French
bean, Neckarkonigin' which are only about fifty pence for a large packet in
Lidl.

I always have great success with them and this year they have been
exceptional. So many eaten, given away, frozen and now can't keep up and am
leaving them to dry for the winter. I usually put a row in the soil and some
in a container up a wigwam. The ones in the container have had a humungous
crop. This year just by change I had a large pot with a lavender plant next
to them which was always alive with bees; could they have been responsible?

Sorry getting carried away but I do recommend folks to try those beans; they
have a great flavour and are totally stringless. They always appear in the
spring when Lidl put out their seed racks.

Good luck

Steve.

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
Are a disaster this year. I planted them in May, they refused to flower
..snip...


I;ve tried them from Lidl but found the germination poorest of all the
varieties. Still very cheap so will try again. Also tried the yellow
version Neckargold from Tuckers. Went in late, currently cropping
well.
Cobra cropping well, though of all the varities it has climbed the
least. It was setting beans at 2ft high!
Goldfield also successful. Purple King got hit by slugs, other
varieties next to them did not. A purple italian one produced masses
of foilage before setting beans. Less beans than Cobra.

Lidl have some very interesting varieties of veg. Possibly because
they are Central European in their veg tastes. The seeds are very
cheap. Well worth a visit in spring.

Dwarf beans - Tasman (filet bean) from Johnson/Wilkinsons doing very
well.
fairly well, Brittle wax from Lidl. Tasty.

French beans are I believe self fertile, so don't need insects.

It's been a rubbish year again for those things that need heat. Beans
have been the most successful thing here in Bedfordshire.

Not tried beans in a container, maybe I will now.

Nigel