Runner beans a disaster

[hc4361]

By now I should be picking them, but they are still not at the top of pole, very little leaf and very few flowers.

I usually do very well, grow enough for the whole year. Is it the weather? Anyone else having this problem?

Any suggestions? Should I give up and dig them up or wait and see?

[alavahalf]

This time last year I was picking them and throwing them straight onto the compost heap as we had that many.
This year they are up at the top of the poles with leaves and flowers, but there are not to many beans.
Nearly everyone at our allotments has the same problem. I did notice how they seemed to grow rapidly when the sun came out for a few days.
There's still time yet, personally I'd wait and see.

[Toes]

Not grown runners this year, but my climbing french, are absolutly cr*P, exactly as you've described :(

[hc4361]

It's disheartening

[DaisyNonna]

Strawberries non-existent

[hc4361]

My strawberries were very good, but grown in the greenhouse

[jamesnan]

We have an allotment and live in Essex. The strawberries were very poor this year, and the runner beans are just not growing, very yellowish and have a few flowers and not many leaves. So many raspberries, having to pick virtually every day.
Last year we had a wonderful crop of beans and strawberries but the raspberries were not so good. I intend to just leave them and wait and see.

[hc4361]

Well I am sorry for all my fellow sufferers, but it is heartening to know it's not something wrong with my garden.
I was beginning to suspect the neighbours of foul play!

Just the dreadful weather, I suppose. Even my courgettes have failed me. Normally I am begging people to take the surplus.

[Maydup]

Its the cold temperatures more than anything else and a few days of sun will do the world of good. Not much else to be done but hope, and if you're lucky they'll come back in no time.

[alavahalf]

Update on the runner beans ... what two weeks and a bit of sun can do.
We have had a few days of sun recently, along with the rain. We are now picking runners every couple of days and have plenty for the freezer.

[julia-mag]

Surprise Surprise our Runner beans have decided to give us a reasonable crop at last, not the bumper crop we are used to, but enough to freeze thank goodness, and earlier we we nearly dumped them, but we didn't get any parsnips through at all this year!