Question
Can you tell me why the flowers occasionaly drop off my runner beans,when this happens they appear to be severed off the stems with a straight and clear cut.I suspect this could be down to ants or other insect, - can you help please!

Thanks!  Elwyn

Answer
Hi Elwyn,

First of all let me thank you for using this service. My answer is totally free to you and is to the best of my ability and my experience, as you have likely read about. Here goes:

I got this info from some reading I did on the net. I hope it aaplies to your area. See if it makes sense where you live.

Runner Beans

Attractive plants for the vegetable plot and flower garden. It is important to prepare the ground well - runner beans like a moist, rich, warm soil and, like many legumes, prefer a slightly alkaline soil. Sometimes problems occur when the flowers fall off without producing pods - this can be caused by excessive temperatures or bad pollination. Overcome this by using a self-pollinating variety and misting with water in the evening.

I hope this answers all your questions and feel free to ask me again. Please consider the following ONLY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

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Good luck, Brian. Please remember to rate my answer.