feeding runner beans in pots

[Chimes]

[:Hi, about beans in pots, mine are already growing in a mixture of homemade compost and topsoil. They are now about a foot high ( started late ).What type of food should I use and how often ? this is my first attempt.
Many thanks

[KevinM67]

I've never grown in pots - only on the allotment.

They must be one of the easiest things to grow - apart from watering, I've never used any feed and usually get good results.

I wouldn't waste my money on any feed for these as I don't think they really need it.

[Potstubsdustbins]

As I often say there is a great difference between growing in pots and growing on the lottie, two different worlds really. On a lottie you would prepare your bean trench in the autumn ready for planting the next year, but this is not possible in containers.

In order to get a good crop of runners you will need to feed and keep a close eye on the watering.

Using new or revitalised compost you should be OK for about 6 weeks, after that you will need to feed on a regular basis. For my runners I plant in black flower buckets or ordinary domestic buckets they are fed with Miracle Grow at twice the recommended rate.

I have been using this regime for years and never failed to get a good crop, with freezing I manage to get a years supply from 16 plants.

The pic will give you some idea of what to expect.

Potty

[Soooz]

Potty, when you plant in flower buckets, do you put in drainage holes. Sorry if it's a silly question .. . I have some dwarf beans I have planted for my daughter as a housewarming - she's just moved into a new flat and has a nice balcony that she can grow things on. Only just thought today that unless I sort out a water tray too, if I plant them in one of my spare pots then the neighbour downstairs is going to be mighty annoyed when she waters them. On the other hand, it wouldn't do for her to drown the poor things!

Soooz

[rustylady]

Yes Soooz, you must have drainage holes.

[Soooz]

Thanks rustylady - thought it was probably a daft question

[Potstubsdustbins]

No question is daft if you don't know the answer, far better to ask than loose the plant.

Potty

[solway cropper]

Potty's point about watering is probably the most important thing you need to remember when growing plants like runners in containers. I mix a lot of home-made compost into my potting mix and this certainly helps to retain moisture. As for feeding I give mine seaweed tea and tomato feed once the flowers have set.

Another thing worth mentioning is that they will need some extra support such as being next to a wall or fence. A six-foot high tower of beans in a pot will blow over in even a gentle wind if not secured.

[Two_Sheds]

The bean trench is a tradition, but it's not necessary.

I've never made a bean trench in m'life, and I grow 100s of bean plants every "summer". They aren't looking so fit this year, many died in the long cold "spring" we had, but I should get a few now the mercury's managed to climb above 10c

[Potstubsdustbins]

The trench may not be a total necessity and it may well be tradition but some traditions are well founded.

I know several older gardeners who swear by this method and they seem to do very well for good crops.

Potty

[Bren In Pots]

I do a sort of trench for my beans by emptying a Dalek where they're going to be growing thinking about it I did the same thing when I only used to grow in pots.