Get in the running for a bumper crop of beans
WHEN they first arrived on our shores during the 17th Century, runner bean plants were treated as ornamental climbers. Nobody considered eating the long, flat green pods that were produced by this export from Central America, but people did admire its sprays of colourful flowers.
Today, runners are the nation’s favourite green bean – and few vegetables are as easy to grow.
Sow a few seeds now and you’ll be picking armfuls of pods from midsummer until the first frosts.
There are loads of cracking varieties available. ‘Painted Lady’ is a heritage type with red and white flowers followed by 8in-long pods, while white-flowered ‘Moonlight’ is a more recent addition that has been bred to produce good crops in any weather.
‘ Enorma’ produces red flowers and slender pods up to 20in long.
Whichever varieties you choose, they’ll need a sunny spot with moisture-retentive soil. As they are notoriously greedy plants, enrich the soil by working in plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure.
Runner beans need strong supports. To make a traditional A-frame structure, start by marking out two straight lines, 2ft apart. Set 8ft canes along both rows, 2ft apart. Angle them towards each other until they meet in the middle and tie together, using another cane as a crossbar.
In smaller spaces, a wigwam of canes takes up far less room and is more ornamental.
Place five to eight canes in a circle, draw the tops together and bind with twine. Run three horizontal lines of twine around the wigwam, the first 12in off the ground and the others evenly spaced up the structure.
Seeds are ideal for sowing directly into the ground during May and June. Make a 2in-deep hole at the foot of each support and drop in two seeds. Cover with soil and water. Once they’ve germinated, remove the weakest of each pair.
As they grow, wind shoots around the canes and secure with twine.
Those with small gardens can grow dwarf runner beans that don’t need supports, in 18in- wide pots filled with a 50/50 mix of soil-based compost and peat-free multi-purpose compost.
Beans will generally be ready for picking after 12 to 16 weeks, when about 6in to 8in long. Snip them off plants with scissors.