Runner Beans

When you nip out the top bud it encourages little side shoots and more flowers to appear further down the stem.

 

John's said it . The answer's yes

Nip it out and when some of the newer shoots (which will grow upwards as well) reach the top you should nip those out. You'll end up with a much bigger crop.

 

Yes, that happens, they're growing new running shoots just like they will when you nip out the tops. Runner beans are very tenacious . Those that the snails have damaged will catch up with the others.

If the beans don't start climbing the canes, but are tall enough to do so, you can give them a little help. They sometimes seem to wave about, or flop around, instead of climbing.

I tie mine to the canes, loosely, with some wool (once the bean starts growing and the stem expands it can stretch or break the wool ) - but you need to make sure you start them winding in the right direction.

Technically, they wind clockwise viewed from above (most other beans wind anti-clockwise) but I think that description can be confusing. Instead, if you look at the cane from the front, the stem should come from the bottom left, wind diagonally upwards across the the front of the cane and go around the back of the cane from the top right.

You don't have to do any of this but it helps the plant grow quicker as it doesn't have to put energy into weaving around trying to find, and cling to, the cane. Particularly if it is windy weather.

 

The majority of modern varieties are very good. Nowadays, except when I'm trialling new varieties, I tend to grow Polestar. They're a medium to heavy cropper that are totally stringless (as long as you pick them before they get too big) and tend to be quite stable in most types of weather.

I used to grow at least six to eight varieties each year, with some that do well in wet, cold conditions, some that are OK in hot, dry conditions and others that are either early cropping or late cropping.

Polestar seem to be the favourite for taste amongst the people that buy from me but I know a few people on here say they prefer others.

 

Two reasons to still sow now.

You may, possibly, need some more if the slugs get too active.

The more you plant the more you get.

At this time of year you can be lucky enough to be picking in 8 weeks - so, you can work backwards from the time you would normally expect the frosts in your area. You would want to be picking for a few weeks so you should sow now

 

Kristen is correct that runners crop until the end of the season but I find that my early planted beans start to slow down towards the end. So the later planted ones still seem more vigorous at the end of the season.

There are varieties that crop very well until the end of the season but I'm not keen on the flavour of those.

 

Rosie, if you send a message to one of the admin they may be able to reinstate and combine your old membership. I guess it was without the 'tu' on the end.