[heloise]

Kermit said:

Worst ever year for beans and courgettes for me. That is, havent got anything!  Sucks...

Me too - courgette plants snuffed it even with lots of tlc and beans went in very late (got new allotment late so everything err.... late). Just getting some flowers now on runners so still have fingers crossed for some. French beans - nothing. Just yellowing leaves like the first poster mentioned.

Are we all optimists and having another go next year?  

[JayG]

In previous years I had grown Cobra at home in the garden. They always seemed quite a weak growing bean.
This year though, now I've got an extra allotment, they are in a dedicated bean trench along with the Runners and Borlotto beans. They've got their feet in lots of rotted horse manure, and are growing really strongly.
Perhaps they are a big feeder   

When you think about the amount of top growth and the number of beans they (hopefully!) produce it's not surprising that they need plenty of food as well as water (OK, they are legumes and can fix atmospheric nitrogen but that doesn't mean they can manufacture all their own food requirements; just go easy on the nitrogen or you will get leaves at the expense of beans!)

[gazza975526570]

Just by way of a different view point my runners and french beans have been amazing

I was away for 6 days and before i went harvested even the immature beans

Upon return took off 2 carrier bags of runners, a bag of climbing french and a bag of dwarf fench. I put chicken pellets down before planting and havent watered them at all.

The only thing i do have is that i plant them next to a hedge where there are tons of bees for the blossom.

Every other day im taking loads off and freezing tons (do find the french beans dont freeze very well at all)

[boldondig]

I have cobra french beans next to my runner beans on an eight foot long ( and high ) cane trellis affair. The cobras are just beginning to go yellow and stop crop - but I had loads . Not sure that this is because of a lack of water or because you miss some and the plants go to seed and stop producing? They are in my new allotment plot - got one April thsi year - so I think they are also suffering from a lack of manure etc - Need some manure in for next year to feed the soil and retain more water ( I think ) ... Running beans have been good - but wilt in hot weather.. still producing though.