Q: For many years I’ve grown pole butter beans but this year the vines look great but there are few beans and they are flat. P. Etchison, Alpharetta,

A: Flat beans usually mean poor pollination. Butterbeans are self-pollinating but produce enough nectar to attract bees. This is good because cross-pollinating with nearby beans of different varieties seems to increase successful pollination for all.

Bean Pollination