Runner beans

**Two_Sheds** · 15-03-2009, 11:35 AM

Runner beans are not hardy (frost proof)

Therefore you can't put them outside until after your last frost (May?)

I don't sow mine until April.

**mat_Zoo** · 15-03-2009, 12:10 PM

Ive planted them far too early havent i......

They have grown so much in the last week, do you think i will be able to keep them in pots untill may?

**Capsid** · 15-03-2009, 01:17 PM

Runner beans are fast growers. You'll need to stake them up. They may get to 6 foot by May. You could try and plant them outside and cover them if a frost is forecast.

**GardeningMike** · 15-03-2009, 01:46 PM

Commercially, runner beans can be planted as early as March, but in this case they are grown under cover (large plastic tunnels) to protect from chilling temperatures and have honey bee hives to ensure pod set (e.g. traditionally Vale of Evesham).

When you sow much depends on where you are in the UK and level of thermal protection you can afford the seedlings during early growth. Bear in mind that growth stops at a temperature of around 8 C, and the threshold temperature for chilling injury is around 5 C. In the W or SW. England you can probably start a sowing at beginning of May, a bit later further North or East. I live in Hastings area, usually sow in mid April in a well lit conservatory, then plant out in May with bubble wrap plastic protection. PM me if you need anymore help/advice.

**mat_Zoo** · 15-03-2009, 03:11 PM

I live in leeds, so i think they need to be indoors untill Aprill. O well, i have some seeds left so i can always replant in may/aprill.

How well do runner beans do in pots? I have some nice big plastic pots that i can put them in.

**Growem** · 15-03-2009, 06:20 PM

They are a very thirsty crop, so if you put them in a pot, they will need A LOT of water. Regularly and often.

**shirlthegirl43** · 15-03-2009, 06:28 PM

Hi and welcome to the vine.

If you want to grow beans in a container, you would be better to try a dwarf variety. If you have a bright windowsill, you can start these now http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...are_27504.html

**GardeningMike** · 15-03-2009, 07:27 PM

Standard runner bean varieties will grow very successfully in pots and of course give you much higher yields than dwarf varietes, making the most of vertical spaces for them to climb up, e.g. trellises, balconies, drainpipes, railings etc, with ornamental effect.

I can refer you to a feature article I authored on this in some detail for Kitchen Garden magazine ('Beans from your back yard', May 2008, no. 128, pages 36-37). Essentially, three plants per 20 Litre pot can give you up to 6Kg of beans from July to November, at least where I live in St Leonards-on-Sea. Yes they are very thirsty - never let the pot saucers dry out - use big saucers and you should be fine. My pots were watered to overflow every day.

If you need any further info just check out my e-mail address in profile.

**Flummery** · 16-03-2009, 10:32 AM

I'm not too far from you - I don't sow till well into April. They grow so fast they can be up your trouser leg if you don't stand back!

**GardeningMike** · 16-03-2009, 10:52 AM

Hi Flummery... yes they do grow fast, so best to keep them in cool conditions to slow them down a bit and give them a bit of chill-hardening - I use either a cool conservatory (more like a small sunny lobby at the side of the house (in April), or else just plant seedlings or seeds directly into the 20 Litre pots outdoors from beginning to mid-April, against a SW facing wall on our patio, protected by a double layer of bubble-wrap plastic supported by a bamboo cane frame. I roll the bubble plastic down over the plants on cool days or night (i.e. when less than 8 C), and roll it up in sunny weather so that the plants don't 'cook' (i.e. keep temperatures roughly around 12 to 25 C for best growth conditions). If you want further details, including photographs of set up see kitchen garden article or e-mail me if you want any pics.

**Hans Mum** · 16-03-2009, 12:07 PM

hi mat zoo i'm in leeds too and wont even think about puttnig my seeds in until april they grow really fast and you cant put them out till after the last frost has gone. Do you have lottie in leeds ?

**teakdesk** · 16-03-2009, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by mat_Zoo View Post

I planted my runner beans in Peat pots about 2 weeks ago, and they have all germinated wonderfully.

My question is when will be ok for me to plant them out? There around 15-20cm tall already, and all have at least 2 leaves.

As everyone else has said, you have sown them early.... BUT now you have don't bin them - you have nothing to lose so try them outside when they get too big to keep inside!!

I often sow mine early (mid to end of March) in a cool greenhouse and find that after a first flush of growth producing a couple of large leaves they slow down a bit.

I plant out in mid to late April BEFORE the last frosts and find they survive OK.

BTW I find slugs/snails eat a large proportion of the small plants (often they eat through the stalk and kill the whole plant) so after my first sowing I sow twice more with a two week gap to have replacements available. The later sown plants catch up with the earlier ones very quickly.

Any extras left over at the end go into containers (I've even used a black bin liner - with some slashes for drainage - inside a cardboard box!!) and if watered daily they are as good as thiose in the ground.

**GardeningMike** · 16-03-2009, 06:58 PM

Originally posted by Teakdesk

BTW I find slugs/snails eat a large proportion of the small plants (often they eat through the stalk and kill the whole plant) so after my first sowing I sow twice more with a two week gap to have replacements available. The later sown plants catch up with the earlier ones very quickly.

I have reduced slugs/snail attack significantly in last 2 years by using serrated copper tape around bean poles or stems of plants. If interested I can e-mail details (see Kitchen Garden article mentioned in #9). You could use sawn off bits of copper pipe around bases of bean poles or plants in contact with soil. Apparently snails/slugs hate the copper due to a galvanic effect (flow of electric charge) between the copper/soil/mollusc body.

Going out after dark with a torch on damp evenings and hunting the blighters and then despatching them very effective in reducing numbers - if you do that regularly you can make a big dent into the mollusc population (assuming you've got a small garden/backyard!)

Hope this helps

**GardeningMike** · 16-03-2009, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by teakdesk View Post

As everyone else has said, you have sown them early.... BUT now you have don't bin them - you have nothing to lose so try them outside when they get too big to keep inside!!

I agree wholeheartedly with Teakdesk - hang on to them. Keep 'em cool and you should be okay.

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