[Salmo]

First time growing Cobra climbing French beans. First, they did not want to grow but eventually decided to. Second, they climbed the hazel poles but then slid back down so were all crowded on the bottom 2/3rds. Third, the top growing tips do not continue to grow and produce flowers but just end in a bunch of beans. The other half of the frame is occupied by runners which fill the sticks and look a picture.

Is this the usual behaviour of climbing frenchies? They taste OK and are yielding well but I really think I would be better with my usual dwarf beans sown in succession.

[madcat]

I climb mine up plum sticks and then string on a munty frame and they climb nicely and keep going.  Are the hazel sticks very smooth so they cant grip? - they don't wind very tightly. I do have a problem with pigeons pecking the growing tips and put up sparkly strings to discourage them from landing.  Could that be why yours are getting stopped?

[Nikkithefoot]

I, for some obscure reason which eludes me, have never successfully grown Cobra beans so can't answer for them, but other French beans seem to climb reasonably well once they have 'found' the canes. I use bamboo so other than the nodes they are smooth.

[Comfreypatch]

I had similar trouble with them last year. Previous years they climbed fine. This year one or two have slid down the poles but one runner bean has done the same. I grow them up hazel poles but when I put them in I usually tie them with string onto the pole to get them started. Growing tips have kept going.