I really do envy people who can grow high quality runner beans but I guess it’s all down to the attention that you give them. I won at Sileby (pic) and Sutton Bonington but both sets were not of a high class as far as I’m concerned. My problem is that whilst I’m rushing around in the run up to the shows I’m not giving the beans much thought and usually pick them on the morning of the show. You really need to be ‘manipulating’ the best ones on the vine in the days before the show to make sure they hang straight. If they come up against their own foliage they can soon start to bend. You also need to make sure you pick beans regularly to make sure you keep new beans coming. If you leave large, ‘beany’ beans on then the plant may well stop producing new young beans.
Having said all that I’ve just been through my fence today and found 3 of the most perfect beans I’ve ever grown….all about 16” long…… with plenty more coming. And I don’t have a show for 3 weeks. TYPICAL!!!!
1 comment:
Runner beans have been rubbish down our way. They like moisture but just way to much rain has produced poor crops. Every show I did I had 5 beans all 16-17 inches perfect but had nothing to match with only about another 20 or so actually ready on the plant itself. Normally Id be picking 30 or so 15 inch beans for each show, just haven't had them this year. Shame as they are a great filler on boards if you haven't got anything else.
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