Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are noted for being one of the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow, presenting a delightful visual appeal with their vibrant blossoms and heart-shaped foliage. Flourish your garden with an abundant crop of runner beans with this comprehensive guide.
Best Runner Bean Varieties to Plant
Whether you’re planning to cultivate runner beans in rows in your garden or desire a modest number of plants in a pot, several varieties are available to fit your aesthetic preference and taste. Here are some of the most revered runner bean types:
- Runner Bean ‘Red Rum’ AGM: This bean variety is a high-yield producer and thrives across different weather conditions (1).
- Runner Bean ‘Celebration’ AGM: Known for its beautiful pink flowers and tender, aromatic pods, it is nearly stringless when picked young.
- Runner Bean ‘Tenderstar’: This variety proffers pink and red bicolour flowers and smooth, tender, stringless pods.
- Runner Bean ‘Scarlet Emperor’: Loved for its bright red blossoms adorning a bounty of smooth dark green pods that can extend up to 35cm (14in).
- Runner Bean ‘Snowstorm’: Distinguished by its white flowers and a profusion of delectable pods.
- Runner Bean ‘Hestia’: A dwarf variety that grows up to 45cm (1.5ft) tall, it’s an ideal pick for container planting.
Essential Gardening Equipment
To cultivate these delightful beans, you will need:
- Bean seeds
- Small pots
- Multipurpose compost
- 2.4m long poles for creating a support structure
- String
- Garden fork and spade
- Garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure
Sowing and Caring for Runner Beans
To ensure a strong and vibrant runner bean plant, the timing of sowing and the location are crucial. Here are some steps on sowing runner beans indoors, sowing them directly outdoors and tips for their care.
Sowing Runner Beans Indoors
It’s recommended to start sowing the beans indoors in pots in mid-spring. Use multipurpose compost-filled small pots and plant one seed per pot. To protect against any germination failure or slug damage, it’s crucial to sow some extra pots. Allow the seedlings to grow indoors until any frost risk is past, then transplant them outdoors. Remember to harden the seedlings off for a week before outdoor planting.
Sowing Runner Beans Directly Outdoors
For outdoor sowing, late spring and early summer, when all frost risks are gone, are ideal. The soil should be rich and well-draining with good sun exposure. Start by preparing the soil a few weeks in advance, removing all weeds and stones, and enhancing the soil structure and drainage with garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure.
Create a sturdy support of poles for the bean plants, planting bean seeds 5cm (2in) deep at the base of each support. Regular watering is essential especially when seedlings reach 10cm (4in) tall. At this stage, remove the weaker seedling from each pair.
Care for Runner Beans
Tying the young seedlings to the supporting poles may become necessary as beans automatically twine around their supports. Once they touch the top of the supports, pinch out the growing tips to motivate side shoots, leading to more beans.
Watering is crucial, especially during dry periods and when flowers are developing into beans. Ensure to protect young plants from slugs and snails, using crushed eggshells, sawdust, beer traps, copper tape on pots, or wildlife-friendly pellets.
During hot, dry weather, flowers sometimes fall off the plant without developing into beans. Regular watering can help circumvent this issue.
For those with limited space, it’s absolutely viable to grow dwarf runner beans in containers, planting directly into compost-filled containers in late spring.
Harvesting Runner Beans
Harvest runner beans when the pods are between 15-20cm (6-8in) long before the beans begin to swell in the pods. Harvesting regularly encourages the plant to produce more beans.
Common Runner Bean Problems
Gardeners may encounter some common problems with runner beans, including pods failing to set, blackfly infestations, and slugs and snails. By regular watering, planting near other flowering plants to lure more pollinators, and using environmentally-friendly pest control strategies, these issues can be effectively mitigated.
With their bright flowers and tasty pods, runner beans are a fantastic addition to any garden. Follow this guide to enjoy cultivating and savouring these scrumptious beans.
