[Sleepingpopman]

This is my third year at growing scarlet emperor but this year they don't seem to growing as dense as in the past, I water them, if it's not rained & feed them regular with tom' food. They have grown to the top of there 8' wigwam & they have flowered & beans are starting to appearso is it nothing to worry about. I'm in Rotherham & my brother who lives in Hastings is suffering with the same problem.

[Plot74]

Mine are the same but only just starting to flower
Pos down to the lack of sun we are all missing this year.
John

[Paul Plots]

I think those there beans would, like the rest of us, like a little more warmth as well as the sunshine.

Mine are straggly and still sulking - don't blame them either. 

[Willow_Warren]

I don't have any flowers yet, I keep thinking I can see buds but no flowers!  The tops are starting to turn yellow again (they turned yellow when I first planted out, but came back to green), I think I should feed them but now do you feed when it does nothing but rain!!!???

H 

[Goosegirl]

Sprinkle some BFB around their roots and the rain will dissolve it for the roots to take up.

[Paul Plots]

I don't have any flowers yet, I keep thinking I can see buds but no flowers!  The tops are starting to turn yellow again (they turned yellow when I first planted out, but came back to green), I think I should feed them but now do you feed when it does nothing but rain!!!???

H 

It's almost winter soups and woollies weather for us so a splosh of something nutritious won't hurt those beans even if it is a bit like holding your soup bowl in the open during a down-pour...(quickly washed out).  

[Sleepingpopman]

Thanx folks. just need to get some badly needed sun then, & the beans   

[Willow_Warren]

Sprinkle some BFB around their roots and the rain will dissolve it for the roots to take up.

Well I sprinkled some BFB around yesterday evening so hope it will do some good... and "drum roll please".... I found a flower!!!  (may not turn into a runner bean of course but a flower none the less)...

Hannah

[Paul Plots]

Red flowers on mine  now just waiting to the White Lady to put in an appearance... if she survived having her feet in water for so long.

[yorkiegal]

I have lots of flowers and have pinched out the top of the plants. I have harvested one bean and there are no signs of anymore as yet.

[rubyrose]

yay     I picked our first 4 runner beans today hubby and i had 2 each with other veg for tea.  (they were only about 4 ins long) but at least they have started now

[Paul Plots]

The only good thing about the bad performance of my runners so far this year is that there's less blackfly - they've nowhere to go.  :blink:

[Bing]

The only good thing about the bad performance of my runners so far this year is that there's less blackfly - they've nowhere to go.  :blink:

no blackfly? you are so lucky, they were hidding under my rhubarb leaves while raining, now they are all over runner bean plants.

but they could not do much harm, could they?

[Paul Plots]

The only good thing about the bad performance of my runners so far this year is that there's less blackfly - they've nowhere to go.  :blink:

no blackfly? you are so lucky, they were hidding under my rhubarb leaves while raining, now they are all over runner bean plants.

but they could not do much harm, could they?

Squish the little devils with your fingers - carefully does it so as not to damage the bean plants. Gritty they are once squashed. 

Either that or you could try a spray of dilute soapy water solution... or even a firm blast with the hose if you think the flowers will cope with it... take care. 

[Sleepingpopman]

 Many thanks for all your coments so far. Just to let you all know the plants started to thicken up 2 days after the sun showed it's face & the beans are getting bigger. We managed to get enough off today for sunday dinner & they tasted brill' !!
Keith.