French Beans

orchidpepper

Thought I'd branch out and grow french beans this year, I sowed them in individual pots in my greenhouse and they came up beautifully BUT since planting them out over a month ago they have made very little progress. I feel as though they should be a more dark green as well.

They have a long growth with tiny leaves on it climbing upward.

Maybe not getting enough light? Soil not good enough?

I'm having a disappointing year to be honest, half of my stuff isn't growing and the other half is being eaten by wood pigeons

G :-(

wallbash

I have more French beans that courgettes... I have one bean!

orchidpepper

How tall are your bean plants wallbash? Mine are a foot tall if im lucky. Type is blue lake

beginning to think that my seeds are the problem cause I bought them all from the one place...

Germination with the peppers, tomatoes and parsnips from that supplier just didn't happen at all, sowed them in 3 batches but all of them failed :-(

wallbash

I was given a number of varieties,one was certainly Blue Lake.
Height varies from 24 inches to others which i pinched out at 6 ft.

Ps to continue this 'thread' i do have some small runner beans.

orchidpepper

Do you know if beans need loads of sun? Maybe thats where we're going wrong?

wallbash

Mine are in full sunshine. They are planted close to greenhouse , was hoping the plants would screen the greenhouse from the direct sun.

wayne1983

Not about the answer to the original question, but my beans have started flowering so fruits may becoming soon yay!:j:D

gazza975526570

Quick q - never really bothered with french beans but have about 40 growing in seed trays (the big ones)

I transplated some other week but they didnt stay upright - do you replant then a lot deeper than other veg?

EmptyPockets

We have lots and lots of french beans growing, we've been harvesting massive amounts from them for a couple of weeks now.

Your's sound like they're doing ok to me - can you post links to one or two pictures for us to look at?

The long thin stems seem like they're reaching for the sky with very little foliage, but they will soon fill out trust me. The leaves will get bigger and the plants bushier and before you know it there'll be lots of flowers forming. Just keep them well watered and let them go, making sure they're well trained up support canes or mesh.

Lotus-eater

French beans need warm weather and protection from winds, especially when they are small.

Did you harden them off properly? I think that is to blame by the sound of it. Not hardened off and a few cold nights and winds, the beans will just sit there and do nothing. I've had it before.

Zazen999

They also need lots of water; and in the extreme heat they might have been checked. They love the sun, or they get drawn. The main failings I've seen with beans is that the ground wasn't prepared properly enough and the soil not watered well enough after planting.