Runner bean type thingies

[Sylvan]

I've grown peas in flower buckets a few times. Can I do the same with climbing beans or do they take up too much room?

(I've got Blue and white beans, Butter beans, Cherokee Trail of Tears, Lablab beans, Tamilla and... *deep breath*... Fagiolo Rampicante Meraviglia di Venezio. )

[ginger ninger]

As long as you don't put too many in one bucket. Make sure you anchor them down, the last thing you want is them to fall over when there full of beans.

[Sylvan]

How many would you suggest per bucket GN? (I'm not sure I've even seen runner beans before )

[ginger ninger]

They can grow rather BIG (see photo). I would only pop in maybe 4 ?. I've always grown mine over mi arch, someone else might be able to advice you better on how many to put in a bucket.

[Sylvan]

Thank you GN

[VirginVegGrower]

I put six in a green recycling bin last year. They were brilliant! Scrunch up newpaper in the bottom - then rotted muck/compost, then growing medium - I used growbag contents. Regular watering is the key to bumper crop of runners. I also misted the flowers each day - helps them set.

Good luck and don't forget to drill drainage holes.

[Two_Sheds]

Morrisons flower buckets?

One plant per bucket with a cane, and group three together so you can tie them at the top

[Sylvan]

Thanks VVG and Two_Sheds.

Another silly question:

I've seen a couple of references to beans hybridising themselves. If I want to save seeds how far apart do I need to keep the different varieties?

[Two_Sheds]

French beans rarely cross, but runners will do so more readily: they should be half a mile away from other runners, lol
How To Save Seed

good info there ^

[Sylvan]

French beans rarely cross, but runners will do so more readily...

Erm... how do you tell the difference?

[Two_Sheds]

It says on your packet


(all the ones you mention are Frenchies)

I had to Google Tamilla, and got only this from A4A: "Tamila ...Named after our donor's best friend this variety originates in the village of Kostilnyky, western Ukraine, ...The plants do show some variability, with some determined to climb [otherwise it's a dwarf bean]... Produces a heavy crop of pretty pink beans, best used for drying"

[Sylvan]

Yes, that's what I got as well. (I've bean googling for so long I forgot to bring in my tomatoes and Jacob's Cattle! )

My packets are handmade and only have the names on them (and the donors say zey know nussink about ze horse)

[tamsin]

There is a size difference too - at least with mine. The french beans are about 1cmx0.5cm and runnerbeans about 1cmx2cm.

[Hillwalker]

French beans rarely cross, but runners will do so more readily: they should be half a mile away from other runners, lol

I'm planting runner beans (Celebration & Moonlight) for the first time. Is it just the seeds that could hybridise? I'm not worried about about this, I'm more concerned as to any flavour changes. I deliberately choose to grow one variety of sweetcorn, as more than one variety grown in close proximity can easily affect the taste and texture characteristics, but I'm not aware of any such problems in runner beans.

[Two_Sheds]

Is it just the seeds that could hybridise?

It's only a problem if you want to save seed (they may not come true to type). Eating-wise, they are no problemo