[Beetroot queen]

I put some in a few weeks ago, but on each raised bed, only half have come up, I mean half as in the right side or left side rather than every other one  hope that makes sense

Yesterday I re-sowed the patches, not sure if I did the right thing but they looked terrible with only half up, will they catch up, the others are only 1-2 inches 

[The Norfolk Turkey]

Weve got dwarf beans in and theyre rubbish, the single flower on one got knocked off by the cat, the rest have flowered last week, but look very yellow and very sad. A friend assures me its due to the lack of sunshine, and french beans need it warmer than others to really thrive - could this be it?

[Gardeningguru]

Weve got dwarf beans in and theyre rubbish, the single flower on one got knocked off by the cat, the rest have flowered last week, but look very yellow and very sad. A friend assures me its due to the lack of sunshine, and french beans need it warmer than others to really thrive - could this be it?

Im currently growing about 100 or more, Dwarf French Beans (Cannelini) plants from Seeds of Italy, they have been going great guns,  lush foilage, and lots of flowers and lots of beans forming. It hasn't been particularly warm down here, but they seem fine.

I assume if its been cooler up in Bradford that might be hampering your efforts, otherwise the next thing i'd think about is the soil suitability, and what you did to prepare it.  I imagine the weather has played a big part in lack of success though.

[The Norfolk Turkey]

Its always cooler in Bradford!!  I think its been the weather - everything else is taking off no problems, we built raised beds this year, so the soils all new (to us) bought from a reputable place and weve pulled stuff out of the same bed for nearly 3 months now. More rain due tomorrow!!  Still, saves on watering 

[lisa80]

we put some dwarf bean seeds in beginning of may they did look a bit ill so oh mounded soil up around them  ,and they got hit by black fly but since first week of july have been picking over 2lb of beans a week they are coming to an end now but have been impressed considering the seeds were 19p a packet!(used 2 packets).

[Riala]

I am in Lincoln, so kinda level with Bradford if a little higher, and the same has happened with my French beans.  Only one side of my mini-raised bed have grown, even though I put them all in from Richy's Paper Pots, the others just... died.

As you can see, They are quite strong and healthy, but I had to quickly set some more off in these plasticy thingies (Too wet for the paper pots at the moment)

[DD.]

Blimey,  have they moved Lincoln?

Last time I looked it was about 100km further south than Bradford.

[The Norfolk Turkey]

Continental drift...!!!   

[Riala]

Got my head in the clouds today (interview at 3pm) I was thinking of Brummy not Braddy.

[bayleaf]

My French beans (cobra) have done alright this year despite being in the north and it being quite wet this year. I think the key is what the weather is doing when you plant them. Last year my first crop (cobra on my dad's recommendation) went in during the first two weeks in May. (Not exactly sure but it was around then - yes I know I should keep a record.) The weather was good and warm with almost no rain they got away really well. The second lot last year that I planted in the first week in June, only 1 of the 15 beans produced a plant, because it rained a lot in the following week and there was a colder spell and they just rotted away. I know it's difficult to anticipate the weather but if they can get a start in a warmish dry spell it seems to help them germinate and then even if it's not so good afterwards they will keep going. Maybe this explains the different results people have achieved rather than geographic location.

[lovemyveg]

I had some poor germination of my dwarf french beans (The Prince) which I started off in pots in the greenhouse.  ~Very few of them came to anything, rotting in the pots, and I popped in another 20 to make up for the failures.  Out of these there were a lot os failures but I managed to get 12 good plants into the ground.  These have grown beautifully, with lots of flowers and beans.  But, they look and taste exactly the same as runner beans, so I am not sure what the problem is.

The Broad Beans, Aquadulce Claudia:  I had just 3 failures of germination, also started off in pots, but when I got 29 of them into the ground on 19 March they went great guns and have been a real success, with no black fly at all.  The BB Express planted in April has been less successful.  They are struggling to mature and look rather sad, but we may get a meal out of this variety yet.