Growing and Using Runner Beans (Phaseolus multiflorus)
These delicious and traditional garden beans are easy to grow.
Although dwarf or bush forms are available, runner beans are most usually grown as climbing plants. The pods are either eaten fresh or frozen, salted or pickled for use in winter.
Runner beans are a tender crop so must either be sown indoors, or outside after all risk of frost. If sown inside, the plants must be hardened off before moved into their final homes. For beans over a longer period, sow the first batch under cover and make a later sowing outside. Runner beans crop for longer than French and other types of bean, particularly if kept well watered and picked regularly.
Runner beans are usually grown in a double row 18 inches apart with the supporting canes angled inwards and tied together at the top, but may also be grown up netting, on a wigwam of sticks or on trellis, wire fences or over arches.
If grown for showing then long straight pods of equal size and shape are required. To obtain these, then a good show quality variety must be grown. The plants are also spaced more widely to ensure all pods can hang free of any obstructions.
Runner beans produce lush foliage and abundant flowers, so can be very decorative plants. Flowers are commonly a vivid red shade, but are also available in white, cream, pink and bicolours of red and white.
Beans don’t generally need extra feed, particularly on soil which has had organic matter dug in. The organic matter also helps aid water retention, even so, it’s very likely the beans will need further irrigation, especially once the pods start to swell. For the best crop, dig a large trench and fill with garden compost for the runner beans to grow into.
Harvest beans to be eaten fresh whilst still young and tender. As well as improving the eating qualities, this also encourages the production of more beans. Beans may be eaten hot or cold.
If you wish to grow dwarf or bush plants, then either buy seed produced for this purpose, or pinch out the growing tips of climbing plants when they reach the desired height. Further pinching out is likely to be required throughout the season to prevent the bush beans becoming…
