Runner beans in containers

[TrulyGreen]

More help needed please.....this is my first year growing veg and of course I'm making loads of mistakes, eg put some swedes in a small raised bed and when they had reached a wing span of 15" , covering everything in sight, I reluctantly pulled them out. Felt like a murderer, but something had to go!

I read with interest the thread about growing runners in a container. I have six plants in a massive plastic bucket bought from B & Q. Hubby drilled some holes in the bottom and I popped in the compost & seeds (Celebration) and now have six healthy looking plants. Problem is I put in a small wigwam about 4 foot high, as I don't want them to grow too tall and thought maybe I could pinch out the tops.

What do you think.....will this work and if not is it too late to change the wigwam, or will this disturb the roots? Also how often should I feed and water them and is tomatoe food OK?

Another question about potatoes. I have two potato barrels with some healthy looking plants about 9" above the top of the barrel. When do I harvest them.....I read after the flowers die back is that right?

Oh thank goodness for you guys.....I really don't know what I'm doing, but luvin every minute!

Thank you thank you
Truly Green

[peanut]

Hi Truly Green,

You can/do pinch the tops of Runners when they get to the top of the frame, personally though I'd have said 4ft isn't really tall enough, you'll be losing a lot of beans, the usual height to pinch them is 6ft.
Feed weekly once beans have set, and water regularly, beans are greedy feeders!

As for your pots, it depends on the variety but if they're a new potato then harvest is about 13wks from planting, for maincrop you wait for the foliage to die down. The best thing to do is to have a rumage around in the compost to see what they're like!

[Two_Sheds]

Runner beans need 9" - 12" each. If you're short of space, I would grow 3 plants, one per pot with a cane each. Place the pots in a tripod and tie together at top. It is pointless growing plants with not enough room for them to produce for you.

[TrulyGreen]

Peanut & Two Sheds.....Thank you so much for your advice. Wonderful idea to grow one runner per pot and tie the canes at the top. Is it OK to transplant my runners from their large bucket do you think??? I am going to be so much mor savvie next year.....errrr ....welll, maybe a bit more savvie!!!

[Alice]

Truly Green , you can grow your beans in a container as long as you give them enough food and water. I've grown 8 plants in a 2' by 2' containner with great crops - with intensive feeding and watering.
I think 4' is too short for them. Can you give them 6 to 8 feet - they'll do much better.
Ask about your potatoes in a separate question - you'll get better answers.

[TrulyGreen]

Thanks Alice......I will change the canes to 6-8 footers. What sort of feed do you think is best for runners??

[gojiberry]

Beans are not hungry feeders and will give a good crop in quite poor soils. They are however very thirsty plants and the idea of making a bean trench is to increase the humus in the soil which will retain water. Having said that with growing in a tub it would be prudent to feed and I would suggest pelleted chicken manure at time of puting plants into container.Make sure you keep well watered.

Are your potato tubs full to the top with compost, 9" of growth above the pot isn't very much. But as peanut says have a rummage around the top of the compost and see if you can find anything that resembles a potato.

Ian

[TrulyGreen]

Hi Ian.....Many thanks for your reply. I am using those potatoe barrels that you buy in the garden centre and they are quite tall. They suggest planting in about 6" soil and then topping it up as the plants grow. I've done this and now the barrels are full and the plants are about 12" above the top today. The barrels have sides that slide up so you can pick the spuds from below. The plants haven't flowered yet, but I can see some signs of flowers developing.....they are first earlies. Does this all sound about right do you think?
Thank you again for your advice..... Christine

[Polly Fouracre]

I have grown "Hestia" one plant to a bucket and they seem to be doing well.

[Cutecumber]

I've grown both the standard climbing runner and the dwarf varieties (Hestia and pickwick) in large pots, and I can promise you that you will do better with the dwarf ones.

The beans don't grow quite so long and straight but you can still have an excellent crop.

The others are right, 4 ft is nothing for a runner and you may not get much for your efforts.

[TrulyGreen]

Many thanks Cutecumber.....I've put taller canes in now and it is a very large container.....so I'll see what happens.....I'm on a steep learing curve and hope to do much better next year!!!

[Alison]

I've grew French and Runner beans in half barrells last year and they were fine, as Alice says, you need to water and feed but the crop was no worse than the ones in the border. I'm not doing Runners this year but will be planting the French ones up pretty soon - if ever the wind drops a bit!!!! Personally, I don't ever grow dwarf ones any more as I don't think the volume of produce of crop is worthwhile, much more off the climbing ones.