Disaster no runner beans!!!!!

[clare]

My runner beans are a disaster this year.I re-sowed after they rotted with all the wet weather and then planted them out after the frosts then they were hit by the scorching sun for a few weeks and despite watering well I have 8 spindly vines only just at the top of the poles!!I love runner beans as they go into my weekly pot of chicken and veg broth that I have for lunch nearly everyday so I am paniking,I may have to swap some of my jam for runners!!!Am I the only one with no beans this year?Usually my husband moans we have too many in the freezer!!

[diggernotdreamer]

My runners have done really badly, but there are more flowers coming so I am not too concerned. In my experience runners are very fussy and don't like it too hot, never had much luck growing runners in a tunnel unlike french beans which don't mind extreme conditions. You may well find they get a second wind now the weather has cooled down and we have had some rain, I have seen bees snipping off the flowers

[Odsox]

Because I like to grow my runners in a tunnel (I've had too many rows blown over and/or leaves/flowers stripped with storm force winds), I now grow a variety called Moonlight. It's a cross between runner bean and French bean and has the runner bean taste but more importantly the flowers don't need pollinating (like all French beans).
So no bees required and they grow quite well in cold wet weather, although they weren't too happy with the really hot weather we had a few weeks ago, but they have recovered well and my 6 plants are back to producing 3 cooks a week for the two of us.

[diggernotdreamer]

I saw those Moonlight and nearly bought some, I was just watching my row of runners swaying back and forth in the north westerly gale we had today, will give those a go in my tunnel next year, I guess they must have a good flavour or you wouldn't be growing them

[gregorach]

I've actually stopped growing runners as I always ended up with far too many of them! Looks like I'm going to be buried in French beans this year instead...

[prison break fan]

I think we can blame the weather! On gardeners Q.T. someone asked about their runners and the consensus seemed to be that the bees were late pollinating this year because of the cold and then the flowers don't set if the nights are too hot, which they definitely were a few weeks ago. I actually feel relieved this year not to have a glut. Is that unreasonable? pbf.

[clare]

Well not unreasonable as I thought that is how I would feel but now I have none I realise how many I use through the winter,I have a few flowers so I am hoping for a late crop.

[Lochside Yogi]

It's our first year here in Scotland but it looks like our first runner beans are doing extremely well, don't know if it's because we have a lot of bees or because I planted late I started them off in the greenhouse. Maybe just lucky