Forum home Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Deformed beans

My climbing French beans are becoming more and more twisted as the season draws to a close. Does anybody know what causes it? - They are still picked and eaten.

image

 

«1

Posts

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    The only time I had anything like that - they were more the V-shape than the curly ones - I was told it was a pollination problem. I don't know how true it was.

  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,193

    It always happens to me - or to my FBs to be more accurate!  It's as if, as the plants age, they are less able to maintain the straight form.  And I believe that the problem is more to do with the very young beans having new bean shoots curling around them and causing them to become twisted.  Makes no difference to the taste - but you wouldn't see them on the shelf at Tesbury's!!!

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Happens to my runners too - but they still taste just as good image

     


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,193

    Actually, the one on the top left of the pic looks like . . .  a Turkey Twizzler - the thing of infamy highlighted by Jamie Oliver as the nadir or school lunches!  Now, if they could get all the beans to grow like that, we might be able to get the little darlings to eat their greens image

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    Nothing to worry about, as you know they taste normal and that is all that matters.  A touch of cold to make them grow quicker on one side than the other, a tiny knoock or bit in their extreme youth and this happens - the supermarkets make the growers throw these out as the little ignorant darlings, kept that way by the companies,  who buy them might not like the look of them - I won't say the words I think about that, this is an open site!!

  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,193

    I positively relish the quirky and the mis-shaped veg.  It reminds me of my youth (OMG - you just wouldn't want to know how long ago that was image) when the local market had all sorts of veg and fruit in huge piles, and no-one cared about the shape or the dirt on the spuds etc.  We ate loads of seasonal stuff (none of these beans from Kenya and the like, let alone "mini sweetcorn" which, in my eyes, is unformed, under-ripe and flavourless!).  The worst time of year was late spring.  Green = cabbage.  And more cabbage.  And more . . .   well, you get the picture.  Boring doesn't come into it.  But it meant that the first peas and new potatoes tasted wonderful!

    Aaaah! nostalgia - it ain't wot it used ter be image

  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,193

    I have just cleared the Runner and French Bean supports - and had the final pickings for veg tonight.  Now I know that autumn/winter is on its way.  Sprouts soon!

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    If we get a dry day at the weekend I was going to reap a final harvest. I sowed some late veg in July hoping August and September would produce some sun and late crops but it wasn't to be. Caterpillars have feasted on my chad, spinach and sprouts

    And slugs must have teeth because something has even started eating a late sowing of kohl rabi.  

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    After the long, stinking hot summer that made growing anything just about impossible, I'm harvesting about a kilo of delicious Cobra F1s a day. Stuffing ourselves with them fresh, freezing what we can't manage. A freezer full of beans for the winter. Yum.

  • My french beans ended up the same i thought it was down to watering as this year they either had too much then there wasnt enough. Runners were brilliant and if i eat any more will end up in the marathon next year. Ha Haimage

Sign In or Register to comment.