[Judypumpkin]

I have had lots of lovely red flowers on my runner beans for weeks now, and there are plenty of bees and other insects to pollinate them, but so far no beans at all except for the odd really tiny one that doesn't develop. Is there a problem or do I just have to wait?

[JayG]

It's not unusual for the first bean flowers not to set - it's almost as if the bees take a while to learn how to enter them, and thereby 'trip' and pollinate them (there are in fact some species whose tongues are too short to reach the nectar, so they chew through the back of the flower instead, which doesn't therefore get pollinated.)

Some say that misting with water helps flower set, but I've also heard that doing that actually deters bees, which still need to visit the flowers to set them.
It's probably more important to keep the plants themselves well watered.

Not much help to you this year, but there are some varieties whose flowers set without the help of insects - 'Firestorm' is an example.

Hope your luck improves soon.

[Judypumpkin]

Thanks for your reply. After I posted this message I found 2 really big beans that were hiding in the foliage inside the wigwam and probably should have been picked a few days ago, so hopefully I just have to be patient and I'll soon get lots more.

[CHRISDONOHUE]

Look around at other peoples' beans and see if they are setting to get an idea of whether you are the only one with the problem.   Nobody's beans were setting at my allotment until the recent wetter weather and now everybody's are setting on.   When beans don't set it is almost always because of insufficient moisture at the roots usually weather-related but the good news is that once the beans start to set, they usually continue to set throughout the season.

[AnneB]

At least you have flowers.   I only have flowers on my Gigantes Greek runner beans and a couple on my Cosse Violette plants.   I have several other varieties of French beans and Lady Di runners, many of whom are covering the poles, but no flowers in sight.

[al78]

Mine are in a similar state at the moment. The purple climbing beans escaped the blackfly infestation which nearly killed the neighbouring runners, and have many flowers but no pods. I have sown Phacelia at the end of the bean bed to entice pollinators. My gem squash did the same thing in June, although being in the greenhouse the pollinators probably took their time finding them.