What day did you plant them? If they were planted after the first of May, then you could have a problem with too much heat which reduces pollination and curtails bean production.

DarJones

There are several factors that can cause this Jeff. It's possible that the variety you're growing simply blooms later. I have one in my garden, which is lush and green now, but won't flower for a while.

DarJones mentions heat. Are they blooming?

I've never heard anyone else mention this. But I have several years experience (bad experience) planting beans through a leaf mulch, laid down the fall or winter before. So far, in every case, when I plant beans through such a mulch, they simply refuse to flower. If they flower at all, it's only at the end of the season, and then, they only set a couple of pods. I do not understand why. But I've experienced this with several varieties over the course of four years.

George
Tahlequah, OK

They were planted in late April, but I'm not sure if this variety can read a calendar. We've had a real hot June here.

I just noticed today that at the ends of the vines (they've topped the arbor and are coming back down) there were some new, tiny little buds. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

By the way, they did have some blooms several weeks ago..on the way up...but few grew into beans.

Jeff

One of the reasons why legumes go into vegetative growth is too much N (Nitrogen) in the soil.This happens many a times by planting the legumes (cow peas .pole beans, bush beans etc.) at the same area of the soil.This is so because legumes produce their own N in form of nodules in their roots by absorbing Atmospheric N thru leaves.This will enrich the soil in N content in the garden soil.It helps planting Corn where legumes were planted during last season since Corn is heavy consumer of Nitrogen it will reduce the N in the soil.This is known as rotation of crops to avoid vegetative growth.

Happen so come across this great site. I also have nice string bean plants with no beans. It's been a hot and wet summer here in SE PA and suspect that's probably why no beans. Our spring was extremely wet and was a result of getting the garden in late. I tested the garden and it is ok. The other plants are doing just great but wish we had beans to freeze for winter. Thanks for all the input.

I planted Ky Wonders and Florida Butter Beans in early May of this year. The Ky wonders have produced nice vines and a few blooms but not enough beans for a hobo meal. The Florida Butter Beans have just started blooming and from all appearances they will produce a bumper crop if we don't have an early cold spell. This is my first time for Florida butter Beans and I can't believe the mass of vines produced. They are thick and leafy with runners over 12 feet long.

Would fertilizing with heavy P and K and low N number do the same trick? I can't grow corn in my little raised beds. Thanks much.

Exact same thing happened to me, and I think it was the high heat this summer and the lack of rain. I watered every few days, but they definitely know the difference between ground water and rain.
The week that it cooled off, I started seeing blossoms, then 90's hit again and they stopped. The vines were tall and lush.......but no blossoms or beans. What few beans they are now making, are being attacked by bugs. This year is definitely a loser as far as the beans go. Its a real disappointment. My cucs have done great, but you can't keep them for Winter.

I had the same problem of many vines and flowers, but few beans. Then we got some night temps in the low to mid 70s and I upped the watering a lot. In a week - 5 pounds of pole beans. :) Be patient!

Just in the past week I have FINALLY seen green beans! The more I look, the more I see... the weather has had a drastic change here.. SO much cooler! It's been since May to now~ 4 months of watering and waiting. I'm hoping to get enough to freeze. But, even if I get a small potfull for one supper, I'll be happy. Next year I think I'm trying Rattlesnakes!

Only now do I have blooms on the surviving vines--ones planted in partial shade. Other ones all fried despite being covered in the middle of the day. These were supposed to be bush beans and are not except for one. Not sure just what I have so I'm hoping for enough to find out and save seeds if the weather will cooperate.

I planted I believe around mid May. I did not receive one bean until LATE September. I have now picked several pounds of beans and will have more until frost. Next year I will plant in April just as soon as I'm able so that I get a crop BEFORE hot weather and then again after in the fall.

Sunflower, next year go with Rattlesnake or a lima bean of some kind, they like hot weather. Your KW probably could not set beans in very hot weather. Yes, 100 is too hot for most beans.

I'm growing pole beans and they are absolutely beautiful I was so excited and proud. Bit then only one of my plants have given me like 3 or 4 beans and I have eight plants. I'm new to this in Virginia and I have no idea what to do: (. Is been raining here for a week my barn is even flooded and it's been muggy. Can anyone help? I don't know what I've done wrong it's my first time. I think I have very acidic soil as well I'm not sure I need to find out.

Amber, I've put a fair amount of time and thought into this problem since this thread started. Nitrogen can indeed cause this problem. But I really think the most common problem is heat. And I don't understand the dynamics of it. I have a variety of bean, which if planted too late, won't produce beans until cooler weather in the late summer. But if it does start flowering before the heat gets going too strongly, it will continue producing.

I'm not positive about Blue Lake Pole Beans. But I am pretty sure that Kentucky Wonder pole beans are sensitive to high temperatures. These seem to be the two most commonly sold varieties at the big box stores.

Hopefully you beans are just getting started and will produce very soon. But if they don't really produce until cooler weather, then next year, I'd recommend that you 1) plant earlier and/or 2) try something noted for heat resistance. Go online and look up something like Rattlesnake pole bean. Give that a try.

George
Tahlequah, OK