Runner bean seeds

[Madmac]

Hi all,

Can i keep some beans back from this years runners to plant out next year, if I can, do I just pop 'em out and leave to dry or do I need to do something else ?

[seasprout]

You need to let the bean pods dry on the plant for a while, they need to get quite big and 'knobbly',

When the pods are really dry, pick em off and keep them in a paper bag somwhere cool and dry, Not the fridge.

Then pod the beans at your leisure, they have usually fallen out anyway, hence the bag. And remember to label them.

Simples.

[Madmac]

cheers thanks.

[NewbieGardenerRow]

Thanks for posting this question Madmac. I was about to ask the same.
I keep finding huge beans hidden amongst all the foliage which are too tough to eat.
I'll leave some on the plant and save some seeds for next year.
Thanks for the advice seasprout

[Flummery]

Runner beans are promiscuous little blighters though. They will cross with others grown within half a mile. You can still grow and eat the resulting seeds but they are unlikely to be the pure strain you started with.
However, that's what the old blokes used to do and some got their own strains of beans going which they reckoned were champions!

[flubba-jubba]

i will be doing this....ive had a massive crop of runner beans, been giving them away ive had so many and everyone says how lovely they tasted

some have still got flowers.......so many beans!!! lol

[Alison]

Have no idea what variety mine are as they were gift plants and will be tarting with the ones on the neighbouring plots anyway. Am still going to save some seeds and see how it goes next year. Have pretty much stopped eating them now as am getting a bit fed up of them but am trying salting for the first time to preserve them as it's supposed to be better than freezing (which I never rate for runners) so fingers crossed for it working!

[matthew2riches]

As Flum says - they cross like mad so if you grew Painted Lady this year for example, it probs won't be next year!

[Flummery]

It'll be Emulsioned Bloke!

[ann-the-nan]

Runner bean seeds.

I know what you mean by more than you can cope with. I have given some to family and neighbours. There's an elderly lady lives back of me with her son, she usually plants around 300 rb's and gives the fruits of her labour to all the local wrinklies living on the OF's estate behind her.

[matthew2riches]

It'll be Emulsioned Bloke!

LOL!!! Very good......