[al78]

All my climbing French beans last year were stringy and the ones I have been cooking after freezing are almost inedible. The weather was strange last growing season, with an exceptionally dry and sunny spring*, followed by a mediocre summer (apart from the heatwave in August). Does this mean I picked them too late, or could the fact I sowed old seed be a factor? I have just ordered some fresh seed in case it was.

*A cubic metre of stored rainwater and I still ran out in May.

[Yorkie]

I doubt it was old seed, but the weather is likely to have impacted.

[mumofstig]

Mine were the same last year, as were the runner beans, I had to pick them when really small or they were inedible. They were simply too dry at the roots, they didn't even get to the top of the canes either
I'm really hoping they'll be back to normal this year *fingers crossed*

[Subversive_plot]

Provide more water as needed, pick younger.  Beyond your control, but production during warm, sunny weather will likely be better quality.

[jezza]

Hello here's how I grow my french and runner beans i dig a trench 18 inches wide a spade and a half  deep then put a layer of grass cuttings 3 inches deep a 3 inch layer of rotted horse muck then a 9 foot length of  drain down pipe with 1/8 holes drilled on one half laid holes down an elbow joint is on one end,  then back filled with soil making a mound left to settle then canes and plants put in,the pipe holds about 9 gallons of water ,plants are watered in on the surface till they get their roots down     jezza

[rowlandwells]

that method needs adding to my garden diary Jezza because it sounds like a good idea to try 

[jezza]

Hello I've been growing  them like that for 25 years never had a crop failure runner beans usually 23 inch long and tender, an old market gardener showed me how to grow beans,I still have 4 pound of  hunter runner bean seed he gave me 25 years ago when he retired  jezza

[jambop]

I grow French beans every year and I always get nice beans even though we get very hot and dry conditions . The secret is making sure the beans get plenty of water if it has been very dry and of course extra at the time when the pods are forming if it is dry. The other thing is that you have to pick them when they are just right if you let the bean seeds form at all it does have an effect on the quality of the beans when eating... better to eat them young than just a little bit older in my opinion but some like a tiny little bean to be there. Also if you pick them young you will get more forming so extend the picking period.

[jaydig]

Extreme heat, such as we've had for at least the last two summers, does seem to send both runner and dwarf beans 'old' before they have made much size.  Even constant watering doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. I picked all of mine at well below the size that I usually would.  This year I'm going to plant some in a cool, shady area of the plot, and some in the more open, sunny spaces. This way if we get a lousy summer or a really hot one I might at least get a reasonable crop.