When to pick runner beans for seeds.

[Knight of Albion]

Used 'save and grow' with my runner beans for 25 years! Each year a good, reliable crop. Then one year they just seemed to run out of steam and I felt it was time to buy in some new ones and start the process again.
Quite a choice nowadays! Reds, whites, stringed, stringless, classic varieties, new strains ... There must be dozens to choose from.

[Knight of Albion]

I'm not too fussed about getting true to type seeds, more interested in saving seed to get plants more acclimatised to my location.

My plot is quite sheltered and isolated though, with trees and a high solid wall to the south, trees to the west, evergreen hedge to the north and a church on the eastern boundary.

That sounds idyllic. Sheltered? That should suit runner beans. Or is that 'sheltered' in the sense they only get short bursts of sunlight?

[Alison]

I only grow one variety of Runners, and its a decent-ish distance to my neighbours, so I reckon I'm probably OK with them ... although ... I also grow a couple of varieties of French and some Borlotti - is there any chance of them cross pollinating>

Most Borlotti beans are French beans and they don't tend to cross much but of course can sometimes. If you're growing them on the same pole you can't be certain but I've had them come true when pretty close to each other. Runners are a different type and really shouldn't cross with Frenchies.

I'm not too fussed about getting true to type seeds, more interested in saving seed to get plants more acclimatised to my location.

I'm the same way with my runners as it's unlikely you'll get anything that isn't nice and, as you say, they'll suit your conditions. Am much more particular about things like chillies and peppers where it's quite important they come good (squashes etc too) as you can end up with something quite horrible very easily.

[Kristen]

If you're growing them on the same pole you can't be certain but I've had them come true when pretty close to each other.

I let one or two plants "at the end of the row" go to seed for saving, so they will be furtherest from where the row "joins" the Borlotti, so that will take care of that, thanks.

I figure that a plant, such as Runners, will stop producing once it gets seeds to "Maturity", so I only let a few pods, on the end plant or two, go to full term ... and that means maximum distance from the next bean type.

I suppose for the Frenchies I should designate a plant in the middle of the row, as I have different climbing French beans side-by-side (but several plants / canes of each, so some physical separation).

Either than or I need to sow one bean up a pole at the back of an ornamental bed somewhere, and designate that my Pure Strain Seed Source (an element of Belt & Braces in that solution, you might have noticed )

[Jay-ell]

'm the same way with my runners as it's unlikely you'll get anything that isn't nice and, as you say, they'll suit your conditions. Am much more particular about things like chillies and peppers where it's quite important they come good (squashes etc too) as you can end up with something quite horrible very easily.

Thats why I've started my seed saving adventure with beans. I'll move onto the harder things eventually.

That sounds idyllic. Sheltered? That should suit runner beans. Or is that 'sheltered' in the sense they only get short bursts of sunlight?

None of the garden is fantastically sunny but the sun hits one end in the morning and creeps along until the majority is in sun around 10am-11am. and then in the afternoon the shadow starts to creep back as the sun passes the shade of the trees - theres a sweet spot in the middle right where my runners are that seems to get the best sun.

Right next to them is a compost bin so they're probably loving that too (at the moment they seem to be trying to hug the black dalek so I suppost the heat of the compost and the leechate may be spurring them on)


This year my beans are on wigwams but I'm thinking on designs for next years bean frame using a grow house frame, canes, string, sticky back plastic and a pair of Valery Singletons knickers.

[SammieB]

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here but I've just cut down my runners today, taken the seeds from the pods and spread them out on a tray with the intention of drying them in the airing cupboard or even just on the table of our south facing living room - then I read this thread!! Aargh. Will my plan work or should I just bin them now?! :-(

[Zelenina]

It might work, Sammie, if the seeds were already mature. If they weren't mature enough they'll probably shrivel up. Were the seeds good and fat and solid? What colour and texture were the pods? You could try a test germination after they are dry.

[SammieB]

Thanks for you reply Zelenina, the seeds looked good and fat with shiny smooth skins (photo attached) so maybe it will work.

[Jay-ell]

Well, my french beans are now turning leathery but my runners are as healthy as ever. Never thought that id be willing my plants to die and disappointed when I find out that they're still healthy. Good news is that my runner beans are no longer flowering.

This posting seems so wrong

[Zelenina]

Sammie, the big beans with dark mottlings will probably be ok. The smaller bright pinky looking ones might not be mature enough. You could cook them and eat them as shelly beans, or wait and see if they change colour.

Jay-ell, your attitude changes when you're saving seeds, doesn't it? I guess UK runner varieties are bred for slow maturing of seeds, because most people want the pods to stay tender for eating for a long time. The ones I've seen here in Slovakia have course, thick, short pods, and seem to ripen quicker, and only the dried seeds are eaten in bean soup.

I've had just one runner bean pod go yellow so far. Still waiting patiently for the others. They are a UK variety, Jescott's Longun, not a local one. I'm very keen to get seeds because I only had a few to begin with. They were flowering all summer but only started setting beans when the cooler wetter weather arrived. No more flowers now, but I picked some young pods to eat two days ago.

[SammieB]

Hi Zelenina, I had been growing two varieties of beans and thought that was why they were different in colour. I hadn't considered that they might be immature beans. Not sure I would fancy eating them to be honest and have put them in the airing cupboard anyway now so will just have to wait and see what happens. I really must get in to the habit of checking the forum for advice BEFORE I act!

[Jay-ell]

Jay-ell, your attitude changes when you're saving seeds, doesn't it? I guess UK runner varieties are bred for slow maturing of seeds, because most people want the pods to stay tender for eating for a long time. The ones I've seen here in Slovakia have course, thick, short pods, and seem to ripen quicker, and only the dried seeds are eaten in bean soup.

I've had just one runner bean pod go yellow so far. Still waiting patiently for the others. They are a UK variety, Jescott's Longun, not a local one. I'm very keen to get seeds because I only had a few to begin with. They were flowering all summer but only started setting beans when the cooler wetter weather arrived. No more flowers now, but I picked some young pods to eat two days ago.

Zelenina, as this is the first year I've been growing it the first year that I've really been eating green beans. Usually I cook with either tinned or dried and soaked beans, often in soups, stew, chillies and occasionally in rice and peas.


Been quite impressed at how many beans I've had so far off one wigwam of runners. Lots to eat fresh and still lot more to dry an save (and eat)

[Zelenina]

Hi Zelenina, I had been growing two varieties of beans and thought that was why they were different in colour. I hadn't considered that they might be immature beans. Not sure I would fancy eating them to be honest and have put them in the airing cupboard anyway now so will just have to wait and see what happens. I really must get in to the habit of checking the forum for advice BEFORE I act!

Which varieties are they, Sammie? There are some different coloured seeds in runner beans, but not as much variety as in French beans.

The most common colour scheme is pinkish mauve with black flecks or mottlings. But they go through a plain pink stage before developing the black markings. There is a less common type with a cream coloured background and similar markings in chocolate brown. I have some like that, and it looks like they start off white before developing their mature colours.

The white flowered varieties have plain white seeds that are probably white at all stages. And there are some plain black-seeded varieties which go through pink and dark bluish purple stages before maturing, as you can see here:

Daughter of the Soil: Today in the garden ... colour magic

They're actually good to eat as shellies or dried beans. What you can buy as butter beans are often large white runner bean seeds, although sometimes they are lima beans.

[SammieB]

I've just checked and they were Scarlet Emperor (another winner I had from the VSP ) and Enorma - and looking at the ones left in my seed tin they both have black speckles so I guess the plain pink ones are immature and therefore no good. Going back to the suggestion of eating them.... do you think they'd be fit for that having been dried in the airing cupboard - and if so, how would I cook them?
Love the look of the black beans in your link!

[Bren In Pots]

Sammie I've use some of my Scarlet Emperor beans in a chilli, they're fine so long as you follow the boiling before cooking rule, have a read here at twosheds recipe link :-

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ans_26962.html