Vegetables > Runner Beans

How to grow runner beans:

Name
Phaseolus multiflorus.

Family
Leguminosae.

Seeds
Buy Organic Runner Bean Seeds from The Green Chronicle (Pay in $US, £, Euro).

These beans are best sown in light soil i.e. not clay soil, in a sunny position.

The bed should be dug deeply and dressed with organic manure. Outdoor sowing should not be done before mid-May and then the seeds should be sown 3 inches deep, 4 inches apart with six feet between rows.

The beans can also be bought on in pots indoors or in a greenhouse and then planted out.

Because these beans climb, they need some support. Canes can be used for this, giving each plant a support of its own. Make sure the plants do not become too dry or too wet.

A collar made from an old yogurt pot and placed over each plant can help to discourage slugs and snails while the plants are small and vulnerable.

Uses
The beans should be picked while still tender. Remove the stalk and stringy side parts. Slice lengthways and boil. Serve hot.

If you have a question about Runner Bean plants, have a look at our reader's question page on Runner Beans.


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