[chickenista]

Lush green vines covered with sweet white blossoms....1 count with me..1 bean! I am assuming that this is a pollination problem. Blossoms do their thing and then wither and drop and all that is left is the bare little nipple where the pod is supposed to come. Annoying. I was counting on those beans for the winter and terrifying as well. I am getting my brother to drop a hive or two off at the house.

 

[anniew]

Beans are self-pollinated, without the help of insects, generally. Look for something else.

 

[katydidagain]

My beans aren't producing well either; the few I've picked are tough even though, by size, they shouldn't be. I know lack of rain contributed; I didn't water in time. But even with that corrected, I still don't have good beans. We've had some rain lately; I'm hoping that helps.

 

[DenverGirlie]

It took a LONG time this year to have mine get going. I thought their was something seriuosly wrong as we had tons of foilage and tons of flowers but no beans.... then is finally happened... maybe you need to wait them out a bit more?

 

[Windy in Kansas]

Bean blooms often "blast" meaning they don't set fruit and simply fall off. Most often due to heat stress. Have you been having an unusually hot season?

 

[Pony]

I'm with Windy. My first thought was heat. When it gets too hot, you get blossom drop.

Just keep watering, and you should get more beans before the season is over.

Pony!

 

[chickenista]

I went to hang out at the feed store this morning...And we were talking weather etc,... and I mentioned not making any beans. They agreed that the heat could be some of it..and that I planted Kentucky Wonder..which I do out of habit..they were saying that they feel that the beans are becoming more and more unlikely to self-pollinate. They have noticed that their beans are needing the bees (especially bumbles) to pollinate. That alot of the beans are coming from S. America and that the behaviors of the plants are changing. I thought the observations of older, lifetime farmers were very telling about the way things are going. I will make sure next time to order my beans from a good catalog.. I just didn't have time this year. So, between the heat, no bees, Kentucky Wonders...no beans..yet. The heat has broken and I'll se.

 

[katydidagain]

chickenista, do try some of the beans from Le Jardin du Gourmet. I absolutely adore Aiguille Verte. Hey, for 35 cents, how can you not?

 

[chickenista]

Hey..for .35 I can try everything they sell! And I plan on it. And my brother's got creasy beans this year that he got from an old farmer, so I'll have creasy beans next year too. Sooo yummy.

 

[Paquebot]

I went to hang out at the feed store this morning...And we were talking weather etc,... and I mentioned not making any beans. They agreed that the heat could be some of it..and that I planted Kentucky Wonder..which I do out of habit..they were saying that they feel that the beans are becoming more and more unlikely to self-pollinate. They have noticed that their beans are needing the bees (especially bumbles) to pollinate. That alot of the beans are coming from S. America and that the behaviors of the plants are changing. I thought the observations of older, lifetime farmers were very telling about the way things are going. I will make sure next time to order my beans from a good catalog.. I just didn't have time this year. So, between the heat, no bees, Kentucky Wonders...no beans..yet. The heat has broken and I'll se.

There more BS in the above than in the barns at nearby American Breeders Service!

1. Kentucky Wonder and any other Phaseolus vulgaris species has never needed a bee to pollinate their blossoms before and still don't.

2. Neither the presence nor absence of bees will either increase or decrease the production of Kentucky Wonder beans. Fertilization takes place before the blossom opens.

3. Doesn't matter where a Kentucky Wonder bean is grown on this planet, it's not going to change genetically due to global positioning.

4. Kentucky Wonder, brown-seeded, will vary from 60-80 days depending upon climate and soil fertility. The richer the soil, the longer to production.

5. Kentucky Wonder blossoms are subject to heat just as are a great majority of plants. With many, 80ºF is when pollen melts and is not effective.

Martin

 

[DianeWV]

Hopefully, with a break in the heat and a little more time, your beans will set on and produce.

The creasy beans that you mention. I haven't seen or eaten that bean for a long time until this year. Actually, the last time I saw them was in the early 1980's at my Grandparents. It was my grandfather's favorite green bean. In my locale, they are called a greasy bean because the pod is shiny/slick. I was very fortunate to be introduced to a fellow who gave me some seed. They are delicious. This is the first year I have planted them in my garden. Take care.

 

[chickenista]

I have heard them called both.. I just chose the colloquilism closest to my house..hahah. It is my favorite too. I like that there is more bean thn pod and that alot of the beans are left in the bottom of the pot.. If my brother didn't live so far..I would harvest from him this year..oh well. there is always next year to dream about.

 

[Paquebot]

There are about a dozen greasy beans listed in the SSE Yearbook. I've been growing the Tennessee Greasy for a few years and quickly became one of our favorite pole snap beans. It proved to also be popular with other HT gardeners as it was one of the first to run out when included in my last seed offer. Planted again this year and it's not disappointed me.

Martin