How To Grow Runner Beans

Runner Beans are a delicious staple to have within your veg plot. They’re one of the easiest crops to grow and they will produce many of the long, green pods over several months. Most varieties are climbers meaning that even if you don’t have a large area to grow, you can still produce a large amount of these wonderful, nutritious greens. Make sure to pick them young for the best taste, texture and succulence that you would rarely find in the shops!

Here’s our simple guide on how to grow your own runner beans:

1. Sowing Runner Bean Seeds

For the best results, sow your seeds in a pot indoors during late Spring. Sowing them inside will provide the best germination rates as well as being protected from those pesky slugs and snails who will enjoy eating away at your shoots and seedlings!

2. How To Plant Your Runner Beans

Runner Beans are very delicate crops and won’t survive a frost. Therefore, planting is advised during May, once the last frost has passed. Runner bean plants need a sunny spot in rich, moisture-retentive soil with plenty of well-rotted compost or manure added. You can prepare your soil in Autumn or Spring so it’s never too late to prepare the ground for planting!

As they’re climbing crops, they need a strong support, such as a wigwam, to help them grow. Grab 4 or more canes (depending on how many seedlings you’re planting), about 3 metres long, and push the ends of them firmly into the soil. Make sure to space them evenly and then tie the tops together to form the wigwam. You’ll now be ready to plant one runner bean at the base of each cane.

3. Caring For Your Runner Bean Crop

Runner beans are thirsty plants so need regular watering. Mulch the soil surface around the roots to lock in the moisture to help them thrive! When the plants begin to grow, make sure to help them get good grip and support by tying the new shoots to the canes. This will also help to encourage them to continue to grow up and around the canes. When the plants reach the top of the canes, pinch out the tips for a bushier growth.

4. Harvesting

Your runner beans will be ready to pick 12-16 weeks after sowing. The bean pods are most tender at 15-20cm long; any longer than that, they’ll become stringy. Regular picking will encourage more flowers and therefore maybe more young beans. Don’t leave old beans on the plants as it will discourage them from flowering and producing more of the succulent greens. Enjoy!

5. Runner Bean Growing Top Tips

Young runner bean plants are so good, even the slugs and snails want a bite! This causes a bit of a pickle for us though so make sure you take precautions when planting your seedlings into the garden. Firstly, we’d advise planting more than you may want, just in case some don’t survive the pesky attacks. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re planting them when they’re as big as they can possibly get in the pot indoors; the bigger they are, the better the chances of survival! Use wildlife-friendly slug pellets or cover surrounding soil with other similarly dry and gritty materials such as crushed egg shells to deter the slugs and snails from your young plants.