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Gardening

No beans on my runner beans!

(8 Posts)
eddiecat78 Wed 22-Jul-26 13:08:31

My runner beans have grown well, look very healthy and are flowering but no beans are developing. There are plenty of pollinating insects about so I think it must be to do with the hot weather - although I do water them daily.
Anyone else got this problem?

Gin Wed 22-Jul-26 13:18:42

I agree with you. Runner beans do not like hot weather. Mine are somewhat spindly, not growing fast despite being regularly watered and fed now there are a few blooms. I fear a minimal crop.

French beans do much better in the heat, I have just germinated my second crop and all have come up whereas Few of my runners germinated. My gardener, a prize runner bean grower, has also had minimum germination.

Casdon Wed 22-Jul-26 13:23:45

I’d agree Gin, my French beans have done well. The runner beans have set beans, which haven’t progressed beyond tiny, and have shrivelled up. However much they are watered it hasn’t made a difference.

tanith Wed 22-Jul-26 13:41:10

My runners took ages before any were pollinated but now i have some but they aren't growing long very quickly i fear they will go the same way as Casdons they are well watered but i guess it was just too hot.

Jaxjacky Wed 22-Jul-26 14:20:56

This happened when we lived abroad in heat, I took to sowing later and cropping in September, not much help, sorry.

eddiecat78 Wed 22-Jul-26 14:28:44

Apparently the variety Equator is good for hot dry weather so I'll try them next year (it'll probably be cold and wet)

JenniRen Wed 22-Jul-26 14:58:26

We have plenty of flowers on the runner beans but they don't seem to be setting and some flowers have dropped off despite watering. The bees seem to be ignoring the beans and are all on the lavender.

Yesterday I read up about it and apparently they may set better if the plants are misted with a spray in the evening so our DD was out at 10.30pm last night misting them. No good if you have a hosepipe ban though.
We shall see.

BlueBelle Wed 22-Jul-26 15:22:03

I have had a really good amount of runner beans (and they are still coming I m giving them away to neighbours ) but on the allotment pages I go on many people are saying the same as you Eddiecat I think it’s where you live and the level of the heat in your area although I don’t think anywhere has had much rain,
I ve been watering mine three times a week and they are really healthy and producing well ď£