Runner beans still coming on strong

Runner beans still coming on strong.
Enough to freeze some for those winter Sunday dinners.
Now thats what gardening is all about,
Robert

 

Hi Capney
I reckon i will have enough for Sunday lunch and that will be the lot. Overall i haven`t done too well but it`s my first year here and i will try a less windy site next year

 

My problem is I need to allow them to grow taller.
I used 8 foot canes and the tops have tumbled over on themselves.
Need another two foot and I reckon I shall have a bigger crop next year.

 

Try it Capney, but I don`t think you will.:thumb::D

 

Thankyou David and Shiney for advise.
Wish I did have more room but thats not the case.
The canes are up against a south facing wall and what has happened the weight has bent the canes away from the wall.
What I shall do is secure the top of the canes to the wall.
The plants can can then still drop forward.

 

Capney we use 8ft long canes and Mr Kandy pinches out the tops of the bean plants when they reach the top.It is murder for me trying to pick the top beans because being of the short variety I can't reach the top even standing on tip toe.

I keep meaning to take my soap box over to our lottie but thought I had better not I might draw a crowd.

To get a good supply of beans you need a good variety,plenty of compost or poo,lots of water,plenty of sunshine no late frosts and the most important thing you need is bees to help set the flowers.Without any of those things you wiull struggle to get a decent crop.

I have picked another two carrier bags full this week though a lot of them had gone to seed when we had got back from holiday.

We probably won't get many more now and will be glad when it comes round to composting the foliage.

One tip you might want to try,when you cut down the stems at the end of the year,don't dig up the roots.I left all mine in last year in the back garden and had four survive all winter and in May they started shooting again and we have had beans off of them.

Good Luck and let us know how you get on...

 

Some great tips. many thanks.
I have no idea what variety they. They were freebees from a workmate who reckoned they gave a good crop. They certainly taste good.
So, dont dig up the roots and perhaps a good spread of home compost next spring?

 

Hi Capney,I would advise sowing some more next year and not just rely on the ones that you leave in the ground because at the moment we don't know what sort of a winter we are going to be having.I think I was lucky because we didn't have as bad a winter as we sometimes get plus they were in a border that gets the heat that is reflected from the house wall.Just experiment and see what happens.

We have just cut ours down as they are more or less finished and have left the roots in.I will cover them with home made compost of a few inches and see if they will grow for next year.Watch this space:thumb:

 

Capney, if you want to increase your yield without increasing the number of plants. Then grow the variety Enorma, they can grow 15" plus, without being stringy.:thumb:

 

I can confirm what Dai Plant says. I grew a few Enorma this year and was worried that the produce would be stringy because the pods grew so long but was pleasantly impressed by the tenderness and flavour.

 

hi everybody,
just wondered if you could give me some
advice regarding runner beans, when picked do i de-pod
them then de-shell them before cooking, and how +how long,
thanks kevin.

 

Why not build a shed frame type thing like I did and let beans cover it. It looked fantastic when the beans grew, they hung like grapes from the inside.