[AlaninCarlisle]

I get fantastic yields from my French and Runner Beans but the Borletti always disappoint. They look healthy enough and extremely vigorous but the yield from about a dozen plants amounts to little more than 3 or 4 bean-pods per plant. I'm growing them in good soil, full sun and up 8ft canes formed into a wigwam shape. Are there any tips that members can pass on please?

(Title edited to assist future searches)

[mumofstig]

All I can say is that they don't do that well for me either, though other drying beans give a decent crop.

[Hampshire Hog]

I tend to eat them fresh rather than dry them but agree the crop can be less than with runners. In fact runners are overwhelming me at present. As to cultivation borletto beans want warmth and don't like cold winds in my experience. Can you get the heat level up by using a wind barrier of some sort or perhaps growing a non climbing version???

Cheers HH

[sunshineband]

Borlotti beans do seem to only have about four or five beans per pod, even when they are clearly happy growing where they are. At least they are big beans and the increase in size when you cook them too, so you can get a few decent meals out of a handful or two

[New shoot]

I do OK with borlotti, but I am a lot further south than you.  They seem to like my clay soil and I usually make a bean trench, like you would for runners, to grow them in.  You do only get a few beans per pod, but 3 or 4 pods from a climbing borlotti does sound a bit sparse.

Dwarf ones might be worth a go, as you could offer them more shelter and they set a lot of pods per plant.  I've always had to set up a small cane and string framework to grow them through as the weight of the pods pull them over otherwise.

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

Having had little success with climbers I tried some dwarfs last year crammed quite close together and was reasonably impressed with the yields compared to the same area of climbing ones.

[madcat]

I do well with them, but they are protected from  the worst of the wind at the bottom of the dip and I have a fleece barrier around them (to protect from the rabbits) which improves the micro climate.  The ones on the sunnier end do better too, but they all get to 8' plus.  The tough bit this year has been pollination of the flowers - the insects have been much thinner in the air, despite lots of bee attractions .... 

[AlaninCarlisle]

Yes, I think from the replies so far that maybe N Cumbria doesn't really have a climate conducive to a good crop of Borlotto/Borletti/Borlotti beans. Thanks for edit by the way, JayG  . Will stick with Cobra French Bean next year. Runner Beans tend to overwhelm us and then get wasted as they get stringy too soon

[AnneB]

I keep trying to grow them here in Bradford, with minimal success.  Very low yields. In comparison, runner beans, French beans of all sorts all are hugely productive.  I don't think I will try any more.

[Aidy]

I grow them here in tropical Blackpool  (love the gulf stream)

My bed is a raised bed of about 9 inches in height, once the beans have finished I fill and raise it to about the height of three feet with manure, cover and leave it over winter, in spring I will turn over lightly, the muck has pretty much rotted well enough, sprinkle some fish blood n bone and then plant up in may.

I get a reasonable crop, more than enough for the winter but it is not a heavy crop which other beans have given me but then there is no waste as there is generally enough for the 12 month period.

[jaydig]

This year, my dwarf Borlotti beans just sat there and sulked, and then, despite having given them insulation from the weather, and cosseting them with feed and water, they turned up their toes and died.    I had a crop last year, and grew the same variety this time, but I think they hated the colder nights we had at the beginning of the season, and especially when we had hot days that were followed by very cold nights.  I'll try again next year.

[Aidy]

but I think they hated the colder nights we had at the beginning of the season, and especially when we had hot days that were followed by very cold nights.  I'll try again next year.

Nail on the head, everyone has moaned and complained this year about their veg, some have been ok and others poor.

Our produce show which is from 7 sites was I think one of the worst I had seen for many a year.