[BabyStar]

Quick question about runner beans...
Ours our flowering at the moment, but have noticed quite a few flowers dropping without a bean being formed behind. Is this due to a lack of pollination or something else? Our neighbours beans seem to be flourishing and ours aren't doing much at all!

[JayG]

They often seem to lose a lot of flowers before they "get the hang" of setting; they need bees to "trip" the flowers to pollinate properly (probably not a problem if your neighbour's are OK) and must be kept well watered at all times (misting the flowers with plain water can help, probably by keeping them a bit cooler and therefore staying on the plant for longer. Hot weather has the opposite effect but you can't do much about that!)

[BabyStar]

Will keep fingers crossed then. Did notice a few collections of black aphids (which seem to be rife in our garden) on some stems which I sprayed off, don't think they helped matters! Our neighbour plants sweet peas either end of the row to attract bees etc which I think we will copy next year. We've just put a couple of pots of marigolds down there to try and bring in some customers!
Will keep well watered and mist them as well and hopefully things will work out!

[Growster...]

"They often seem to lose a lot of flowers before they "get the hang" of setting; they need bees to "trip" the flowers to pollinate properly ".

That's the best description I've seen JayG - describes exactly what I reckon goes on, but can never seem to put it down in words!

;0)

[sunshineband]

Early days yet babystar... don't despair 

[JayG]

"They often seem to lose a lot of flowers before they "get the hang" of setting; they need bees to "trip" the flowers to pollinate properly ".

That's the best description I've seen JayG - describes exactly what I reckon goes on, but can never seem to put it down in words!

Nice of you to say so, but there is another possibility - that the bees first have to recognise the flowers as something worth visiting and then learn how to land on the right part of the flowers to "trip" the release of pollen!  There can also be a problem with short-tongued bees which can't reach the nectar so bite through the back of the flower instead  and then there are the bloomin' sparrows which I have seen pecking off the flowers apparently "just for fun." 

[BabyStar]

Early days yet babystar... don't despair 

I am thinking positive about it all, my other half is not so good at it though! I've told him not to write things off too soon. I think he spends too much time looking at the neighbours veg and wondering why ours doesn't look the same 

[radiohead]

I've tried all the tricks advised by the experts to stop the early flowers dropping...all failed.
My theory is that the plants are in sprint mode when the first flowers appear,growing vigorously,and so much energy is going into that with the result there is not enough left in the tank to set pods....Once they get to the top of the supports and slow up a bit ,more energy is available for doing what we want them to do.

[DD.]

It happens year in, year out.

You learn not to whittle about it, let them get on with their own thing and harvest bags full of beans when they are ready - not you!

[sunshineband]

And it is always a surprise finding them hiding under the leaves 

[mumofstig]

It would be nice if there were some flowers to drop 

They are really really slow this year 

[digalotty]

everything is slow this year unless it has a inkling to bolt ,  try holding it back then :blink:

[mumofstig]

everything is slow this year unless it has a inkling to bolt ,  try holding it back then :blink:

I know what you mean digalotty, funny old year all round