My best year growing runner beans

[whiskyman]

This been my best year harvesting runner beans since I started gardening. Although slugs killed off my first sowing I was a bit worried that I would n't get a decent amount to harvest.

My newly built cold frame with double grazing probably helped getting my second sowing of runner beans off to a flying start. I also protected the planted runners in 2ltrs bottles using copper tape around the bottle and poles to deter slugs. Absolutely no slug activity at all there.

I seem to be harvesting huge amounts every couple of days.

[teakdesk]

Well done! It is so satisfying when things crop well!

What variety did you use? If you leave some pods on the plant to grow large and dry out on the plant at the end of the season you can save seed for next year. you'll then be sure you have a variety which does well in your plot.

If you have the space you could add a different variety next year, since sometimes a variety that did well in one year's weather conditions will be poor in next year's. Having two varieties can, if luck is with you, mean the other variety does better!

Are you freezing your surplus?

[whiskyman]

I think the variety is Scarlet something?

I had to buy seeds this year as I did'nt save any from last year, was'nt happy with last year batch as they were'nt stringless.

I freeze the surplus every year but have frozen more this year than last year already with the amount I've eaten already. I have also grown another patch but these were sown month later from beans/spares left over so have'nt harvested from there yet, although they are in flower so will be expecting more of a crop.

[andy_j]

Ive grown Moonlight, Firestorm (both self pollenating) and Armstrong and ive been giving them away by the bagful ive had so many !!!!

[Scarlet]

Well, I've got enough but I can honestly say this has been the worst year ever for me for runners. The flowers have either dropped off or the beans themselves have withered on the plants. To be honest I was hoping for a downpour this weekend to give my ground a soak but apart from a little for an hour yesterday and similar this morning I'm still waiting.

[Bren In Pots]

If you have either a GH or cold frame you can over winter runner bean plants I did it last year and the saved plants produced beans a week before those I planted in April.

here's the thread :-

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ans_78430.html

[SP1965]

This is my 1st year at this veg malarky, but my runners have been and are still producing like crazy! I've been eating, freezing and giving them away.

[whiskyman]

If you have either a GH or cold frame you can over winter runner bean plants I did it last year and the saved plants produced beans a week before those I planted in April.

here's the thread :-

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ans_78430.html

interesting but what size pots did you use? I would expect the root system be very large.

[Ananke]

Well done on such a great crop.

Runners always impress me and I wish we liked them, they are probably the only veg we don't like and it annoys me as they look so impressive.

[Bren In Pots]

interesting but what size pots did you use? I would expect the root system be very large.

I'm sure I used 5 inch pots because the roots were smaller than I thought they would be.