Runner beans

Leaving the biggest pods for seed, Sep 2019

For a few years in a row, my runner beans have been a little disappointing.  The son doesn't like them much, so I guess having an overabundance isn't necessary.  Still, I like them and the husband likes them, and to have fresh runner beans with our Sunday roast dinner is a delicious treat, particularly since they've been so rare.

I've been saving seeds from this strain for many years now:  certainly longer than I've been blogging here.  The variety is Scarlet Emperor, and as I'm the only one in the immediate vicinity who grows a vegetable patch, I'm pretty sure they've not crossed with any other variety (it would be a different story at the allotment).  Since they've not been performing well, I had made up my mind to buy a new variety for next year--one that can set beans in drier/hotter conditions, which I believe has been the problem for Scarlet Emperor;  a (normal) wet summer used to give me beans upon beans, but the last few have been too dry.

Well, this summer was wetter and though we've had some dry, hot spells, they haven't lasted long and now the runner beans (all seven or so plants) are going for it with all their might, despite their late beginning (they only started producing in August, when for years I've been used to beans in July).  I still plan on getting a new variety, but I'll be saving seeds again too.