[JayG]

As far as anything tastes as good as you think you remember once you get to a certain age , White Lady seem to have a good runner bean flavour, set well, and are stringless unless you really leave them too long.

Mine actually set pretty well right from the word go this year, which is unusual, but I can't help wondering how people have fared with these fairly recent runner/french bean crosses, which are said to be 'completely self fertile' (traditional runners are also technically self fertile but need help from bees to actually pollinate.)

Firestorm and Moonlight seem to be the commonest varieties on offer - what do members think of the set, yield, quality, and of course, taste compared with others?

[mumofstig]

I've only grown Moonlight this year, as I had those in the seed box from last year.... but I'd have to say I still prefer White Lady. 
Moonlight is setting every single flower, but they don't seem to be getting as long as WL do, and the skin is a tad rougher IMO.I have a few Firestorm as well and they are very rough-skinned - like old fashioned runners were.

I think I'll have to grow both of the white ones every year. So if it's a bad pollination year for the WL I'll still have the ML to eat.

[compostqueen]

I like Cosse Violette as they don't get tough even if they get big 

[jay001]

I have only ever grown scarlet emperor each year because of memories of my dad saying these where the best and I loved the dinners I had with them as a child lol left them far too long last year and they got really stringy . . .will try a stingless for next year I think 

[rubberfrog]

Normally grow White Lady and Polestar, both give great crops and taste excellent.  Only down fall is that this year my beans have been terrible, first time for everything i suppose.

RF

[AnneB]

I like Prizewinner.  I grew it for the first time last year and found it to be productive and quite tasty.   Not too stringy either.   I have also grown a white variety The Czar.   That grows very tall and needs sturdy support.  Also very productive and the seeds can be dried for soups etc.  When large it does go a bit stringy though.

[m1ckz]

white lady

[rem858]

White lady is my normal choice however also tried st George this year and I must say they have been fantastic great taste and prolific I've been picking a carrier bag full very other day from a 15 ft run

[pigguns]

Useful thread- thank you JayG

I've been growing painted lady, scarlet emperor & Aeron purple star runners.  The PLady seem to be all stunted and have gone to fat bean stage before length (not had that before).  The S Emperor have been great, keep a goodly length before going to fatten up but lowish yield, the Aeron are either chunky tough beasties, or I'm finding quite a few floppy and wilted on the vine (I'm not great at watering, but then all types would be affected).  Didn't have a problem with setting, but I heard that white flowered do better in dry air conditions, so will try White lady next year.
(no spraying with even soap this year- no blackfly due to loads of ladybirds  )

Cosse Violette and Polestar french beans. 
I've found the cosse violette a beautiful velvet purple, but on cooking they just look grey (taste is fine).  Polestar have been fabulous.

The climbing borlotties have also been wonderful this year- but I only use those for the beans inside.

[jaydig]

I switched to growing Moonlight for its setting abilities, the flavour, and the fact that it cooks really well from frozen. I've never tried White Lady, but I am going to next year as so many people find them particularly good.

[Lardman]

I still think desiree out perform and taste better than white lady, anything with red flowers here are a waste of time, the birds just pick them off.

[beesrus]

I've been growing Moonlight, Scarlet Emperor and Enorma this year. First thing is it's a cracking year, so much better than last year, as Bruce Forsyth might say if he had an allotment.

One thing I have noticed is, it's no good having a self fertile variety like Moonlight if the wrong sort of bees come in with their big clodoppers and knock all the flowers off. And I have had to water quite a lot this year, and with a hose sometimes, and this MAY have also knocked the flowers off as well, not sure....ie.. I expected more of the lower flowers to not only set, but produce the beans. A lot didn't low down. Having said that they have lately been prolific and very tasty as a string less bean, and a couple of friends are really impressed with them. I'm quite taken with them.
The Scarlet Emperor and Enorma have been good as well, if slightly more old fashioned and tougher, but still fine as long as they are picked early enough. But most of these two varieties I am growing in order to leave on the plant to pod and freeze just the inside seeds themselves, something I can see already is not really suitable for the Moonlights. Have grown Firestorm in the past to freeze the seeds and have really enjoyed them, very creamy in stews.

[Mr Dog]

I like Cosse Violette as they don't get tough even if they get big 

Aren't they French rather than runner? Mine certainly seem to be.

[mumofstig]

Yes, they are French beans 

[Ma Lowe]

St George and Lady Di for the second year now. Lovely tasty stringless beans and prolific croppers.