Alternative for Runner Beans?

[Berlioz]

Has anyone found a Dwarf or climbing French Bean that is similar in taste/texture to a stringless runner bean?  I have grown them for years in Uk without problems. I had heard they don't grow well here (I'm W of Toulouse) but tried anyway.

 There seem to be hundreds of varieties of beans to choose from in France. This year I grew Blue Lake, Ferari and Masterpeice without problems but none were anything like runners.

My runners (Lady Di, Mergoles, White Embargo) failed to set well despite being planted in compost trenches, watering & sweet peas grown alongside.  I didn't see may bees either so guess that pollination was a problem too!

 

[Tony F Dordogne]

Try a type called Painted Lady, sets orange/red flowers and is also called Spanish beans for some reason.

I bought some last year to grow as an ornamental but had loads and loads of beans from them.

[Berlioz]

Thankyou Tony

I have added some to my seed order. I will let you know how I get on!

B

[Meg]

I tried runner beans (Butler) the first year here, without much success. I think they don't like the heat.

Last year i grew pole beans 'Neckarkonigin'. Which were very productive, stringless, tasted good and froze well.

[andyh4]

Runner Beans don't seem to like the heat and often set badly, but you can imrpove the chances of a good set by misting the flowers in the late evening with a fine spray.  Doing this we have achieved acceptable, but not good cropping levels.

[Berlioz]

Andy, I did mist the flowers but it didn't make much difference. [:(]  The only one that was any good was a 'wild' Mergoles growing through a tomato on the ground, I'll use up the old seed as 'pinched out' dwarfs and see if that helps!

I shall also order some Neckarkonigin from the Graines & Baumaux catalogue which has just arrived, the do look good, thanks for the tip Meg.

[Washy]

Hi there.  I grew a french purple bean for the first time here. Beautiful bi colour, pale and dark purple flowers and purple-black pods. Nothing like the shape of an english runner but the taste was exactly like the first soft sweet runner beans of the season.  Incidentally they go green on cooking which fascinates and children who see you pick themand putthem in boiling water.  Sorry forgotten the name as I collected seed for this year but I see them everywhere in the garden centres.

[dawks in gorre]

the first year i moved to france got her the end of june did not plant my runners until early july (type lady di),had a wonderful crop the next year planted then the normal time in may hardly a bean, now i always plant them end of june early july the same for my swedes and get a great crop, just try saving some to plant later and compare the results.

clive

[Berlioz]

I will try normal time/planting later on as suggested and see what happens.

[valB]

I have loads of Uk Rinner Beans growing inside at present in toilet roll insides (as recommended by Pads)  I grew them very well in UK but having read these threads I am now down in the dumps as I do like my Runners.  I will plant out and see how i get on but not too hopeful now.

[Berlioz]

I found this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1&xml=/gardening/2008/02/26/garden-beans126.xml

'Climbing French beans are increasing in popularity because they set bumper crops in our hotter, drier summers. Runner beans, on the other hand, are predominantly pollinated by bees, so if it is too cold for the insects to fly, you get little action, while hot summer nights (two consecutive nights of above 16C) prevent runner beans setting and produce sparse crops too'.

I think this explaines why my runner beans were so dismal last summer  and why your system of planting later works Clive! 

 

 

[Gardian]

I know that it's hardly the same thing, but I've found that flageolet beans work grow well for me. I tend to sow in mid-August, after all the salad stuff is out of the way.  They germinate in about a week and they're very tolerant of the heat.  Freeze well too.  Only problem can be finding the seeds.