next years runners

[Pauline68]

can i save the seeds from this year to grow next years beans?
Sorry to ask if its stupid but this is my first year of growing them and its been quite successful, i am still picking them!!

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine Pauline, Runner beans can be dried & saved for sowing next year.

[Martin H]

Welcome!

RealSeeds have got some advice on this:

Runner bean flowers need to be 'tripped' by wind or insects before the beans set, and are much more likely to cross with other varieties grown nearby than french beans. Ideally, to be sure that no crossing takes place, seed crops of runner bean should be at least 1/2 a mile away from any other varieties of runner bean. Bear in mind, though, that buildings, trees, and other barriers will limit insect flight patterns, and if you are gardening in a town or built up area, you are likely to have relatively little problems with crossing unless your immediate neighbours are also growing runner beans. If they are - or on an open site such as an allotment - your only answer may be to try to persuade your neighbours to grow the same type of runner.

Mind you, I've had pretty good results from saved seed even on my allotment. I don't keep any seeds that haven't got the same colouring as the variety I sowed in the spring, though.

Good luck!

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Pauline
I always save my seeds and have done since joining the vine just follow the instructions to the link that Martin posted then you won't go wrong.

[Bill HH]

SO if beans do cross pollinate with another type is that a bad thing? maybe it will create a new variant with all the good properties of each parent? (One being the abillity to travel long distances, which is very apt for a runner bean).

[Bren In Pots]

Bill not sure if my beans have crosses but they do taste good and anyway I grow in my back garden and apart from my next door neighbour who grows my saved seeds everyone else around me just grows flowers/grass/weeds.

[rustylady]

can i save the seeds from this year to grow next years beans?
Sorry to ask if its stupid but this is my first year of growing them and its been quite successful, i am still picking them!!

Yes, leave a few pods on the plants until they go brown and crispy, then take the seeds out and store in a paper bag or envelope till Spring.

[pauco]

Hi Paulline welcome to the Vine from me too
Enjoy your time on the Forum.

paul.

[Two_Sheds]

SO if beans do cross pollinate with another type is that a bad thing?

It could be, eg if you're selling or swapping them. I can't swap my white beans any more, because I gave up labelling them, and they're a mixture of Moonlight, White Lady, Spagna and Golden Shrimp.