Runner Beans...

shiney · Apr 13, 2012

No time to go into details as I'm going out but they are really completely different - although they're all legumes.

French and runners are, to some extent, a litttle bit similar but, roughly, French are cylindrical and sweeter and generally don't produce as much weight of veg. Runners are flatter, bigger and, in my opinion, tastier. a lot of people disagree.

Broad beans are totally a different type of veg - but still green. They are much hardier than the others and grow much earlier in the year. They are grown mainly for the bean inside the casing.

Vince · Apr 13, 2012

Her who must be obeyed does disagree with you shiney, she's bigger than me, so! I'm sowing a 2-1 ratio of French and Runners..... but I'll sneak a few more Runners in up the allotment :lol

shiney · Apr 14, 2012

I was careful to say 'a lot of people will disagree' . I prefer my french beans, blanched lightly and stir fried with chopped chilli, chopped garlic, a splash of soy and a touch of stock.

Kristen · Apr 14, 2012

I grow climbing-French and runners. The climbing-French we grow have flat pods ("Limka" from Suttons), like Runners, but we prefer the flavour of the French. I have also grow the dwarf, non-climbing, (Dwarf) French beans in the greenhouse as a late Autumn, and again as an Early Spring, crop. There is a flat-podded dwarf French bean as well (from memory its called "Masterpiece")

HarryS · Apr 14, 2012

Ahh its all clear now , French beans are round unless they are flat , and runners are flat unless they are round
Anway , I was going to sow my bean seeds indoors next week , is this about the right time for this

Lolimac · Apr 14, 2012

I've just nicely sown mine...my old faithfulls scarlet emperor and tried Red rum this year....i wouldn't mind but i don't like them..i just grow them to give away

Markymark · Apr 14, 2012

shiney said: ↑
Growing against a fence is a good idea as the bean flowers will make a nice background for the flower bed. If you don't want to bother, or find it difficult, to buy netting you can just stick a row of nails in the top of the fence, tie some string to them and when the beans are about 9" high just wind the bottom of the string around the beans to get them started. That is when you need to know that the beans climb in a spiral from bottom left, around the front of the string to top right. Once you have started them off they will grow quicker as they are settled into climbing mode.

I would plant them 9" from the fence if possible as it would help the beans to dangle down better. As beans love water you can prepare the ground by digging garden compost into it, a foot deep, to help conserve water and give them a bit of feeding. The old traditional way to halp them with water was to dig a trench about a spit (depth of the blade of your spade) deep, put up to 3" of newspaper or hair in the bottom and put the soil back on top. Newspaper or hair are brilliant for holding water.

In hot dry weather water very heavily twice a week instead of lightly each day. That way the water will penetrate to the bottom of the trench and be held there. The roots will also grow downwards towards the water and anchor the plants better.

A light watering will only allow the water to the top few inches and it will evaporate quickly. The roots will also stay near the surface.

Beans almost always grow better in the ground. Having the fence in the sun is not so important so you can pick whichever fence is easiest for you. The beans like moisture and warmth and don't care too much whether they are in the sun.

Although they are a bit leggy they seem quite sturdy so plant them about 3"-4" deep nd give them a chance. If they don't survive then just plant some more. Give it another couple of weeks or so before putting some more seeds in the pots and they will be ready to go out about the right time. If the first lot are still OK then you have a bonus . you can then either find room for some more against a fence or be generous and give them to someone.
Click to expand...

This should be my last set of questions now Shiney (and I thnk you for all your help with these beans - they'd better be worth it!). I AM going to plant them tomorrow. I am going to plant these ones in the 'pot' that I have. I have got three 8 foot bamboo canes and five plants. Should I plant all of them? Also, my growing medium; I have good old garden cventre compost, and also growbags, full of 'vegetable compost', designed for growing things in like potatoes, carrots, leeks etc...which should I use, or should I use a combination of the two?

I have got some fish, blood and bone, tomato feed, general plant food and chicken manure pellets. Which one should I add???

In about two weeks I shall be sowing some more beans which I will grow against my fence...I have some more questions about that, but shall wait until nearer the time lol....

shiney · Apr 15, 2012

Do a mix of gc compost and veg compost. That should keep them growing OK for a while. Feeding shouldn't be necessary for some time - I'd wait until the flowers start to show (unlikely to be until June, at least) - unless the leaves start to look unhappy. Then use either tom feed or general feed. The ones planted in the ground shouldn't need feeding if you've prepared the ground well but maybe one feed mid-July would help.

Markymark · Apr 15, 2012

Great, thanks...will give it a go and let you know how they get on...was up at 7:15am this morning...car windscreen was iced over...oh dear! Have already got plenty of fleece to hand...worth a try! Thanks for responding so quickly...

Markymark · Apr 15, 2012

Well, I have done it! I have planted them into their container (I put the two plants next to each 8ft cane. I have also now wrapped them up in fleece in the hope of protecting them... see what you think...first attempt and all that lol...

shiney · Apr 15, 2012

Seems good!

kyleleonard · Apr 15, 2012

Can you plant runner beans in hanging baskets..? I don't have the room to start putting them in the ground, and I've sown some seeds a few weeks ago, cheers

shiney · Apr 15, 2012

It's not really possible unless you intend having the baskets on the ground and using them like pots. Runner beans grow very quickly once they get going and are normally left to grow up to 7ft - 8ft long but will grow much taller if allowed to.

If you were thinking of having them dangling down from the baskets then its not very practical. Even if you cut off the growing point before reaching the ground, apart from reducing the crop, the weight of the plant (the leaves are quite big and heavy) and the beans themselves would pull the plants out of the basket.

If you could possibly find and use a 9" wide strip of soil alongside a fence or wall you should be able to grow beans in the ground.

Vince · Apr 15, 2012

Yes Harry, sow them now.

I'm growing Polestar Runners and my ever faithful Cobra climbing french beans, polestar a first but cobra a perrenial in our garden ( not a perrenial), prolific and tasty.

Vince · Apr 15, 2012

I made the mistake off planting my runner beans under the outer branches of "next doors" huge weeping willow, Shiney was a bit conservative! My Beans climbed their canes, latched onto the willow and went skyward, at least 20" (I know I should pinched out the growing tip, thought I had, obviously NOT :(

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Runner Beans...

shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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Collecting runner beans to plant for next year

Runner beans being left to dry

Aphids on runner beans. What to do?

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Runner Beans and Frames

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Runner Beans...

shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

Vince Not so well known for it.

shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

Kristen Under gardener

HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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Markymark Gardener

shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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