Easy to grow, prolific and delicious, runner beans are grown from seed that are sold in packets or from seed that you keep yourself from last years crop. It is probably wise to buy new seed every few years, although I know of many who have bought none for 10 years and more.
I put two seeds in 3 inch (7.5cm) pots in a heated propagator in early April for early cropping and removed one at an early stage if both germinated, planting it in a second pot. Once germinated they were removed from heat.
Unless you are only have a few seeds, you can grow plenty at a time and if it is early April, put them in a heated propagator. Alternatively they can be placed on damp kitchen roll in the house and those that start to germinate can be individually planted int pots. In May plant outside.
When they germinate in soil or compost,the first sign is a distinctive inverted "U" with the leaves rapidly following. It is a great thrill to see them appear so quickly.
The seedling shown is exactly seven days from planting in a propagator and shows the rather coarse finish to the leaves which is very distinct from French Beans which are smooth and neat.
I always place support, usually a wigwam of canes in first and plant a bean plant (or seed) on either side of each cane. The photo shows three week old plants in midsummer which have been mulched. Plenty of manure dug in the soil first is much appreciated.
The flowers are usually red, although, white and pink varieties are available. When they were first introduced to this country it was for their flowers. Pollination is by bees and warm weather is the most advantageous for them.
Runner beans will grow to the top of 8 foot canes pushed into the ground and then start to tumble down. I do not bother to nip out the tops but some recommend that this should be done.
The beans must be pulled regularly when tender, there must be no stringyness. If you don't need any, pull them and give them away or compost them. If you want seeds, stop pulling in September and let them grow large and hard like these ,
This photograph shows just how much growth takes place, and this was on soil that had a mulch, but no manure dug in! When this height and top heavy they are surceptible to wind damage, both to the plants and to the supports which need to be robust.
I was given these pods of "Long as your arm" in 2006 and shall try them in 2007. The dried pods are nearly 2 feet long and green ones are longer!
WATCH THIS SPACE.
Birds love dried beans, so do not leave them too long or you will end up with empty pods!
On the left are "Long as Your Arm" (LAYA) that were sown on 17th April and pushed through on 7th May, (a lot later than those planted in heat - three weeks to germinate, instead of one).
LAYA continued to be a very slow grower, and while the first pulling of Scarlet Emperor
was on 30th June, it was August 3rd before the LAYA were ready. The photos either side were taken on 19th August. The longest bean shown is 22 inches, but the longest that I grew was 28 inches.
The beans are tasty but not of show quality as they are rather bent and irregular with a coarse looking (but tender) skin.
