[Babstreefern]

Well, I've figured it out.  On French climbing beans - for every petal on a flower, it turns into 100s of beans .  Believe me I know, I've blanched a bucket full last week and the same this week

[andy135]

Well, I've figured it out.  On French climbing beans - for every petal on a flower, it turns into 100s of beans .  Believe me I know, I've blanched a bucket full last week and the same this week

I wish mine would. There isn't a bean in sight from either runners or climbing french beans.

[Y.E.A.H]

i haven't been getting as many as i did last year..........but i'm still getting a good amount 

[tosca100]

As soon as mine started producing the weather turned and everything came to a halt. Started flowering again now though.

As for runners, we're going to be giving loads away at work again this time, starting next week.....

[shokkyy]

My dwarf French beans have been going completely berserk for a few weeks now. If they keep up much longer I'm going to need a bigger freezer

[diggerjoe]

picked measly ten french beans yesterday - runners are very slow as they were hit by black fly invasion seems everyone my end of the site is suffering while those at the top end are doing ok. I have a theory that the black fly come down the hill on the wind and lodge with us. I evicted them all at the weekend

[dexyblue]

I planted nasturtians next to my runners and have been great for reducing black fly

[Sue33]

my french beans are also going crazy, every time i turn my back another 100 spring up  they also like hiding 

[Babstreefern]

my french beans are also going crazy, every time i turn my back another 100 spring up  they also like hiding 

Tell me about it.  I have wigwams, and when I'm picking it seems from everyone, that I don't have a head.  Its stuck inside the wigwam, looking for the blighters.  I've also had some blackfly, not much thankfully, so I've got rid of them altogether.

Also, watch out for nasturtians, leave any seed pod in the ground, up they come next year

[rozalia]

Babstreefern: I live about 20 miles from you and I've had a dreadful year for french Beans.  It took 3 sowings to get any to germinate and what has grown has been eaten by slugs.  Even bought in plants have done nothing.
How do you prepare your soil?  What time of year do you sow? indoors? outdoors? How often do you feed? With what? Hope you don't mind all the questions.  It's just that I love French Beans.

[Babstreefern]

Babstreefern: I live about 20 miles from you and I've had a dreadful year for french Beans.  It took 3 sowings to get any to germinate and what has grown has been eaten by slugs.  Even bought in plants have done nothing.
How do you prepare your soil?  What time of year do you sow? indoors? outdoors? How often do you feed? With what? Hope you don't mind all the questions.  It's just that I love French Beans.

I don't mind the questions.  I start mine off in trays, in March/April, then when they have two true leaves I put three to a 6" pot, then when they've set, I take them to the greenhouse on the lotty (before this they are in my conservatory), then I leave them in there until the risk of frost has gone, then plant them out.  I use the same plot as the year before, and I not only bury the roots and left over plants from last year, I also put in plenty of fertiliser (I never bother with manure as it just adds to the weeds and you don't always know what pests may be in it).  I don't feed them, as they have the goodness in the soil, eg, fertiliser, BFB, etc.  In November, I dig over the plot and leave it until March, when I then put more BFB, and then completely rotavate it.  For slugs, I just use the slug pellets.  I've found a couple of toads on my plot this year, amongst the corn and cabbages, far away from the beans, and left them to it to eat the slugs.  If I find any frogs or toads, I never put slug pellets near them.

[morverngirl]

I have 8 runner bean plants in bags, lots of flowers up high and picked 1 bean today, takes me a week to get enough for meal for 2. Plenty courgettes though.

[shokkyy]

my french beans are also going crazy, every time i turn my back another 100 spring up  they also like hiding 

This year I tried Concador, which are a yellow variety (cream really) and it's much easier to see them for picking. They're incredibly heavy cropping too, more so than the Stanley green beans I did, which I always thought were very prolific. I do have to share them with the mouse family that have moved into my veg plot, but there's more than enough for all of us

[radiohead]

French beans coming thick and fast,picking every night.....purple ones(cant remember their name) specially prolific....Runners at long last in the fast lane...bagfull every day.....cabbages best ever...(mind you it's only our second year ).........courgettes?..well the EEC have threatened to slap a quota on us......Away for two weeks next week and I just know those sweetcorn plants are going to be just right for harvesting sometime during our second week ........

[Livinhope]

My dwarf French beans have been going completely berserk for a few weeks now. If they keep up much longer I'm going to need a bigger freezer

Just had to but another one.