Straight Beans

[NellyCB]

How on earth do you grow STRAIGHT beans?? I grew frenchies last year and they were tasty, but curly.

[Maggie1]

Why do you want straight beans. You cut them up to cook so it doesn't matter whether they are straight or not.

[Homemade]

Curling is probably a result of interrupted growth, could be watering, feed or aphid attack.
There are always some small and curled ones.

[NellyCB]

Why do you want straight beans. You cut them up to cook so it doesn't matter whether they are straight or not.

I never cut them to cook.

[fishpond]

Remove the flower remains from the bean as this can cause curling---please do not ask me why as I do not know why.
Whilst the bean is growing, remove anything it may touch--leaf, cane etc
It also depends on the variety, some are more prone to being bent.
Don't leave them to long before picking.
Talk to them and tell them you are going to boil them to death, that should shock 'em rigid.
If you still want straight beans, go to a vegetable show and talk to some of the exhibitors to see how they do it and what they grow.

[NellyCB]

Thanks.


Fishpond - I know it's not important for me to grow straight beans as I dont show them, but I wanted to kill the curiosity. I'll give the "boil you to death" method a go haha!

[rhubarb93]

I think folk who mentioned stressful conditions are right. I grow a variety called Blue Lake which usually produces large quantities lovely straight beans. Last year conditions were not great, and I was off-colour quite a bit and didn't give them as much care and attention. And yes, quite a lot of them grew curved. Didn't affect eating quality one bit, though.

[Willow]

Talk to them and tell them you are going to boil them to death, that should shock 'em rigid.

[Kernow]

If runner beans are unsupported they tend to be very curly if they hang down they are straighter, for long straight beans gently apply weight to the bottom of the bean.