Can anyone recommend a good runner bean to grow. I want to grow some plants
for my parents' garden, but I know that they will be unable to attend to
them. Is there a variety that can cope with drought, good cropper, and one
that you don't have to spray to set the flowers? I know I'm expecting a
lot, but does anyone know of such a variety?

Many thanks




Remove NOSPAM to reply
Jan

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 22:29:27 -0000, "Janet Bennett"
<janet> wrote:

>Can anyone recommend a good runner bean to grow. I want to grow some plants
>for my parents' garden, but I know that they will be unable to attend to
>them. Is there a variety that can cope with drought, good cropper, and one
>that you don't have to spray to set the flowers? I know I'm expecting a
>lot, but does anyone know of such a variety?

I jhave had good results from Desiree. White floered, said not to be
so attractive to birds. I never spray mine and they set quite well.
>
>Many thanks
>>
>
>Remove NOSPAM to reply
>Jan
>


Pam in Bristol

"Pam wrote in message after"Janet Bennett"asked
> >Can anyone recommend a good runner bean to grow. I want to grow some
plants
> >for my parents' garden, but I know that they will be unable to attend to
> >them. Is there a variety that can cope with drought, good cropper, and
one
> >that you don't have to spray to set the flowers? I know I'm expecting a
> >lot, but does anyone know of such a variety?
>
> I have had good results from Desiree. White flowered, said not to be
> so attractive to birds. I never spray mine and they set quite well.
> >

I'll second that. Also the old variety "Painted Lady" seems similarly hardy
and you get beautiful flowers too. We grow them both and although they did
suffer with the unusual heat and drought of last season they survived to
crop and also we got a superb crop late in the season too as the temperature
went down, a second flush.

In article <c13ei4$1e71m5$1>,
Bob Hobden <hobdens> wrote:
>
>I'll second that. Also the old variety "Painted Lady" seems similarly hardy
>and you get beautiful flowers too. We grow them both and although they did
>suffer with the unusual heat and drought of last season they survived to
>crop and also we got a superb crop late in the season too as the temperature
>went down, a second flush.

I grew Painted Lady once and, while it was pretty, the beans were
stringy and ill-flavoured. I tend to grow Polestar.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I think I would try to find the continental type of Flat Pod bean, they are
less prone to going stringy and will probably do well with less water,

In article <c13dcc$3rl$7>, Janet Bennett
<janet> writes
>Can anyone recommend a good runner bean to grow. I want to grow some plants
>for my parents' garden, but I know that they will be unable to attend to
>them. Is there a variety that can cope with drought, good cropper, and one
>that you don't have to spray to set the flowers? I know I'm expecting a
>lot, but does anyone know of such a variety?
>
>Many thanks
>>
>
>Remove NOSPAM to reply
>Jan
>
Don't buy seeds, I've got quite few spare if you let me have your
address. That way you won't lose out!

Janet

Regarding runner bean Desiree, I forgot to say that it is also
stringless which suits my laszy nature!


Pam in Bristol

"Nick Maclaren" <nmm1> wrote:
>
> I grew Painted Lady once and, while it was pretty, the beans were
> stringy and ill-flavoured. I tend to grow Polestar.
>---
I too am growing Polestar this year. Last year I tried Scarlet Runner and
had a very impressive germination from the beans, so much so that I was able
to give my friend enough plants for his needs. He put his plants in ordinary
garden soil with nothing added and no TLC and finished up with enough beans
to eat and freeze. I on the other hand, gave my runners all the TLC they
could possibly need, and ended up with half as many from the same number of
plants. However, I was still picking pods long after his had stopped
producing.

Mike Crossland

In article <c13dcc$3rl$7>,
janet (Janet Bennett) wrote:

> parents' garden, but I know that they will be unable to attend to
> them.

At peak cropping season, very frequent harvesting is essential

> Is there a variety that can cope with drought, good cropper, and one
> that you don't have to spray to set the flowers?

Hassayon says that white flowered varieties don't have problems setting
pods. All books seem to be definite about lots of water being essential.

I think you should consider something else

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

Thanks for your recommendations, much appreciated.


"Janet Bennett" <janet> wrote in message
news:3rl7
[..]

In article <memo.20040220151519.2043A>,
root (Steve Harris) writes:
|> In article <c13dcc$3rl$7>,
|> janet (Janet Bennett) wrote:
|>
|> > Is there a variety that can cope with drought, good cropper, and one
|> > that you don't have to spray to set the flowers?
|>
|> Hassayon says that white flowered varieties don't have problems setting
|> pods. All books seem to be definite about lots of water being essential.
|>
|> I think you should consider something else

As David Hill says, French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, not P. coccineus,
which is the runner) are much more resistant to drought, and there
are flimbing ones with long flat, pods much like smooth runner beans.
I can recommend them, too.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick wrote in message .after..
> Bob wrote:
> >
> >I'll second that. Also the old variety "Painted Lady" seems similarly
hardy
> >and you get beautiful flowers too. We grow them both and although they
did
> >suffer with the unusual heat and drought of last season they survived to
> >crop and also we got a superb crop late in the season too as the
temperature
> >went down, a second flush.
>
> I grew Painted Lady once and, while it was pretty, the beans were
> stringy and ill-flavoured. I tend to grow Polestar.
>
Not found that with P L, but I agree Polestar is a good'un too although we
have gone over to Desiree lately. If you grew both, a couple of Desiree and
then a couple of Polestar,that would make a nice red and white show. :-)