Broad Bean mystery

Hi Baa, your crimson-flowered broad beans have grown into wonderful plants and are flowering well all up the stem, with more buds to come. Unfortunately none of the flowers are turning into beans - just fading, dropping off and leaving nothing behind :(
I have a very good set on some french white flowered ones a couple of yards away so I don't understand what's (not) happening. I have seen bees in the flowers.....
Do you have any ideas please?..........or anyone else?

Could it be that your spring has been too warm? They like cool springs for pod formation, under 20C anyway, and it could be that the French variety are adapted to the warmer weather?

If that is the case then if one or two do set seed then it might be worth seeing if you can breed a heat tolerant variety ;)

Yes, that's certainly a thought, it's been 25+ for a number of days throughout the spring.
I'll keep my fingers crossed, but it's not looking good at the moment as the weather's great ;o)))
At least the okra's sprouting lol

I hope some of your crimson flowered beans set. They are my favourite broad bean both for looks and the lovely tender bright green beans. My first ones are just beginning to open and the later planting is only just 2 inches high. We've had a lovely warm week here too (for the UK) but it has been raining all day today. Which reminds me - it's time for my slug hunt!

Not a single one has set so far Pat, yet the other has a wonderful crop. Parhaps as Debby suggests it just isn't suited to this climate.
I may try an autumn sowing if I can find some more beans - that might work.......
I even adopted this variety with the HDRA LOL

Have you tried misting them with a fine spray? The pollen might set better if they are a little more humid. It might work, but you are probably right that they just aren't suited to your climate.

Philomel I may have a few seeds in autumn if you want to try again.

I tried an okra once, it even had a flower (tiny though it was) but that was about as far as it got and yes the singular was meant LOL.

Patbarr

Does misting work for you? I've heard a lot of mutterings against misting recently but I'm all for what works for one doesn't always work for another.

The weather has decided to give the beans an extremely severe misting in the form of heavy thunder rain most of the night! So it will be interesting to see what happens as it is cooler and more humid today.
Thanks very much for the offer of more seed Baa. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I don't need to call on you, but I may be very grateful.
I've heard of misting for runner beans, but didn't know it can be recommended for broad beans. I've always sown in the autumn in the past. I think I'll try that and then cloche them through the worst of the winter - or perhaps that isn't necessary?

The first okra are not enjoying the slightly cooler weather, but I have some more germinating, so hopefully they will get a better start. I'll let you know how I get on.

Philomel, sounds like you had the same storm we did. Broad beans are always sown here in Autumn, and never cloched, and they do fine - probably would work where you are too...I'm having problems with my broad beans here too. (Aquadulce from local suppliers). They have set loads of beans, but now all the smaller pods (about 1 inch long), are turning black and dropping off - I've never seen this before. I wonder if it could be the heat too - I sowed them very late this year due to ill health - January instead of November...
Maggi xxxx

Ah, mine are January babies too. Sorry to hear you have a problem with the tiny ones. Could well be that they aren't humid enough - so I hope that thunder rain helps Mine seem OK. They are Seville Longpod from Lily. Please remind me later (you know the problem lol) and I'll send you some seed. Perhaps you'd like to try some too Debby? They certainly are long pods ;)

We've had some where I've cooked the whole pod - delicious when small, but today we had our first actual shelled beans for lunch. Yummy!!

We sowed a double row on the allotment in the autumn, and only 5 survived ...don't know what happened to the others, one chap said that the birds peck them off as they emerge, he was watching the blackbird pulling out his emerging beetroot, and just leaving the seedlings on the surface, rekons that they think they're worms.

Last year we had a great crop of broad beans, yummy with parsley sauce...mmmmm...

Oooh, I'll need to keep a look out then Sue. Worms indeed LOL!

I have very good news. I don't know whether it was the drop in temperature or the rain, but there are some widgy little beans formimg - hope they stay on the plants! I was only ever hoping for enough for seed for next year, so if all these come I shall have that.
May not have to send a rescue plea after all Baa ;o))
(Hope I'm not counting my beans before they've ripened.....)