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Runner Beans

• Message 1.Ìý

  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Monday, 5th March 2012

  Hello All
  
  Is there anyone out there who grows runner beans in the same site each year? I know this practice is frowned upon nowadays and I usually do crop rotation but I would rather plant them in an area of the garden that will not provide too much shade to other veggies.
  
  Years ago I know someone who did this and always had a superb crop. I believe they added something in the way of fertiliser but I don't know what as I was not into veggie growing then.
  
  All advice welcome
  
  Many thanks
  
  Madeleine
  
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Monday, 5th March 2012

  If you dig a trench 3 - 4 foot deep and fill it with everything that you need to rot down cover with soil and plant your beans in there. After you have harvested your huge crop of beans, you dig out the now fully composted stuff from the trench, spread that on your land, and off you go again.
  
  ad infinitum. Cheers, Tony.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Monday, 5th March 2012

  Sounds good Tony but ouch - 3 to 4 foot deep?!!! 2 foot my back might be able to manage!
  
  I should imagine the trench would best be started in autumn and finished (covered) in early spring. I did this last year with about 18" depth and had a pretty good crop of beans but have left the soil in situ and composted that site again for brassicas this year. If I did it your way, I could use the soil on the following year's brassica site alone (high nitrogen?) in autumn.
  
  Would you add any BF&B, Bonemeal, Growmore or anything before planting beans out?
  
  
  
  

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• Message 4

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  Posted by Laura (U9085143) on Monday, 5th March 2012

  In my last garden I had a permanent plastic-coated wire netting support fastened to scaffolding poles and grew my runner beans in this position every year. I raised the beans in pots and then transplanted them out (no trench) fed them now and then but never failed to water them often. They did well and gave a good crop.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Monday, 5th March 2012

  I grow runner beans in the same place every year because there is nowhere else for them to go. I just dig out about one foot deep of the old soil (which I spread around the rest of the veg plot) and replace it with some new compost from my bin.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by MackemEd (U14112803) on Tuesday, 6th March 2012

  Hello All
  
  Is there anyone out there who grows runner beans in the same site each year? I know this practice is frowned upon nowadays and I usually do crop rotation but I would rather plant them in an area of the garden that will not provide too much shade to other veggies.
  
  Years ago I know someone who did this and always had a superb crop. I believe they added something in the way of fertiliser but I don't know what as I was not into veggie growing then.
  
  All advice welcome
  
  Many thanks
  
  Madeleine
  
  Ìý Keeping your ground in good condition is or paramount importance if you want to use the same area each year, I recommend a fertiliser called Root to Fruit our allotment association first sold it for **potatoes but it covers all crops.
  ** I use compost every second year dug into the trench base then spiracle a little Root to Fruit fertiliser and blood fish and bone.
  I normally grow White Emergo and Painted Lady runner beans in a patch running north to south two foot from my allotment fence and privet hedge, no shade problems caused by the bean plants.
  

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• Message 7

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  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Tuesday, 6th March 2012

  Thank you Everyone for your comments!
  It sounds as if growing in the same place is ok the main point being to keep the soil in great condition by incorporating compost or the makings of, in one way or another. I think I would be tempted to remove the soil occasionally to spread on other parts of veggie patch and replace with compost. I have always found that deciding what to grow where each year is often determined by where I plant my runner beans because of the shade aspect, and if they are able to stay in the one spot each year, then the planning process becomes much easier.
  
  Thanks again One and All and may you all have a great harvest this year!!
  
  Madeleine
  
  

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• Message 8

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  Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Thursday, 8th March 2012

  Crop rotation is good practice, especially for cabbages which suffer club root disease when grown in the same soil. However the runner bean is less sensitive and can be grown as a perennial in milder climates. The plant was selected by native Americans in ancient history and was bought to England by John Tradescant in the early days of inter-continental exploration. Then in 1760 or so a Scottish gardener Philip Miller curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden started to recommend eating the beans, pods and all. I still grow the variety Scarlet Emperor which is over a hundred years old, these days there are more popular stringless varieties available, so I wish you success in which ever variety you choose.

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• Message 9

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  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Thursday, 8th March 2012

  I grow painted lady too. The red and white flowers are pretty and it crops well. I pick the beans when they are quite small so they don't get stringy. I don't see the point of growing a foot long tough bean when you can enjoy a lovely tender 6" long bean which needs hardly any cooking.

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• Message 10

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  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Thursday, 15th March 2012

  Just seen your reply as I have not been on Messageboard for a few days. Thanks for the interesting historical info. Yes I have grown Scarlet Emperor for a few years and have had great success with them too. I do tend to practice crop rotation generally but runner beans (my favourite homegrown veg) always seem to pose probs with light and position so I was after other ideas. Thanks.

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