Growing runner beans

If you want to get started with a kitchen garden, growing runner beans is an easy way. You do not have to be afraid that you will fail, because with growing runner beans that is almost impossible. Start your kitchen garden with running beans in April or early May! You can grow runner beans indoors, outdoors or in a grow bag.

When to plant runner beans indoors

You can start sowing runner beans indoors from the end of April. Starting indoors is necessary, because runner beans can not handle too much cold. Start with growing runner beans in pots from 2.5-3 inch. You should sow only one seed of runner beans per pot. The seeds are supposed to be 2 inch deep into the soil. The perfect place to grow runner beans is on a sunny windowsill. The runner beans plants will get enough heat and sunshine here. Before you remove the runner beans outdoors, you will have to harden them off. Do this by putting the pots into a shed for a few hours a day. Each day you can leave the pots outdoors a little longer and in the end they are used to the cold. Plant the runner beans outdoors when there is no more chance of frost. 

Runner beans growing and sowing outdoors

Sowing runner beans outdoors is a little bit more work than indoors. When do you plant runner beans outdoors? You can start sowing and growing runner beans outside from the middle of May till the end of July. You should sow the seeds in a sunny spot protected from strong winds. To make sure the runner beans will grow in your garden, you can dig the soil where you are going to plant them in spring. The depth of the seeds should be 2 inch and the distance around 12 inch. If you have a patio or balcony it is also possible to grow runner beans. You can easily start growing runner beans in containers!

Growing runner beans in grow bags

Growing runner beans in grow bags can be done, but it will take a lot more effort than growing runner beans in pots, containers or direct into the soil. If you grow runner beans in grow bags they will need a lot more water or the bags and the roots will dry out. 

When to harvest runner beans? 

Harvesting runner beans can be done from the end of July when the pods from the plants will be 8 inch long. You should pick beans on a regular basis, this way the plant can grow new pods with beans. If you stop picking the pods from the plant, you will not be able to harvest a lot more beans that season. You can easily freeze the beans, if you harvest the right way you will have enough beans for the year. 

Runner beans problems

There is one thing that you should not forget when growing runner beans: runner beans require support. If you do not give the runner beans enough support, they will have trouble growing the right way. You can give runner beans plant support by adding:

• Garden canes
• Netting
• Strings
• Horticultural mesh. If the growing of runner beans takes place near a wall or fence, you can add a piece of horticultural mesh and this will do the job. 

Start your kitchen garden with runner beans and you will be able to eat them within no-time! Before you know it your entire freezer is filled with these delicious beans. We hope that we gave you enough advise to start growing runner beans. If you have any questions, let us know!