Growing Runner Beans

Runner Beans
The ideal plant for the beginner gardener. If the soil is prepared well with lots of compost, runner beans are very forgiving vegetables. The foliage is attractive, and the red or white flowers making this a beautiful garden feature.

Originally a perennial plant from South America, they are grown in the UK as a half-hardy annual, being struck down each year by the frost. They produce large amounts of beans and juicy flesh which are best eaten soon after picking, but also freeze well.

Many varieties grow to about 2m (6ft) tall and therefore need support. Some of the more recent varieties are dwarfs and need no support making them particularly easy to grow.

RUNNER BEAN QUICK GUIDE

Folklore
None available

Latin Name
Phaseolus coccineus

Type
Perennial, but grown in UK as half-hardy annual.

Site and Soil
Full sun, sheltered from wind. Well-dug water retaining soil, do not add additional nitrogen

Plant to Harvest Time
13 weeks

How Many?
5kg (11lb) per metre (yard)

How To Grow Runner Beans - Sun and Soil

Runner beans prefer a position in full sun, although they tolerate part shade very well. Because of their height, they should not be grown in areas exposed to winds, they will easily be blown over.

Remember also that their foliage is very thick and this results in them casting deep shade over a wide area. Useful for some vegetables but not so good for others.

Part of the 'legume' family of vegetables, runner beans are able to extract nitrogen from the air and fix it in little nodules on its roots. For this reason, the soil should not be rich in nitrogen, which would only result in lots of leafy growth and few beans. The ideal soil is deeply dug with lots of well-rotted organic matter (peat or peat substitute is ideal) incorporated. This will ensure that the soil is capable of holding lots of water, a key need of runner beans. Prepare the soil in February or March.

How to Grow Runner Beans - When to Sow

If unprotected, Runner Beans are in almost all cases damaged by any degree of frost. Where the seedlings have appeared above the soil surface and a late unexpected frost strikes, it is best to remove them and plant more seeds in their place. The best time to plant Runner Beans outside is a week before the last frost (click here for frost dates in your area).

Cloches or supported plastic will protect them if a late frost is predicted, as will plastic bottles with the bottom cut off placed over the seedlings. The other alternative is to sow the seeds in peat pots and initially grow them on the windowsill until all danger of frost has passed and then plant them, peat pots and all, directly into the ground. Remember to soak the peat pots in water prior to planting so that they will quickly break down in the soil.

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Name: steve
E-mail: steve.tevesrham@ntlworld.com
Date posted: August 26, 2010 - 12:13 am
Message: Been growing runners for years, mainly 'Red Rum' and 'White Lady' and have a bumper crop this year from both

Name: sheila burnell
E-mail: burnell.sheila3@googlemail.com
Date posted: August 10, 2010 - 12:18 pm
Message: plenty of growth but not many beans when should they be harvested?

Name: Debbie
E-mail: Debbiejwilliams1@aol.com
Date posted: August 08, 2010 - 05:07 am
Message: I have a bumper crop of runner beans in a shady spot of the garden in a greenhouse with just 2 plants. My greenhouse is a polcarbonate one with removaable roof panels. I've removed one of the roof panels, allowed the beans to grow up over the top of the roof panels and just sit on the others for support - amazing results and the bees are busy polinating! A brilliant way to protect from early frosts and ensure a bumper crop! (only remove the roof panel when plants are safe from frost).

Name: Des
E-mail: desadams@blueyonder.co.uk
Date posted: August 07, 2010 - 06:49 am
Message: Most peoples beans do not seem to have done terribly well at the start of the season but an old gardener friend of mine said that his missus used to spray her flowers on the beans with sugar water. It seemed to have worked on mine cos I am now picking beans daily virtually by the pound. Something to do with the dry weather at the start of the growing year and the lack of bees. I do not think that a greenhouse would be of any help in fact it might stop pollination cos the bees couldnt get at the flowers.

Name: Sue Cutler
E-mail: suewright@lexitus.freeserve.co.uk
Date posted: August 03, 2010 - 01:04 pm
Message: My vegetable plot is in part shade, but this is the only spot available for it. My runner beans did not do terribly well this year (the first year of trying growing veg) and I suspect the shade is the reason. I am toying with the idea of putting a plastic (or even glass) greenhouse in the same spot and growing the beans in the greenhouse. I thought the glass might make the most of the sun that is available. Do you think that is worth trying or should I just restrict myself to vegetables which don't need full sun?
Any advice gratefully received
Sue