Growing Beans - climbing, also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners

Phaseolus vulgaris, Phaseolus coccineus : Fabaceae / the pea or legume family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P              

(Best months for growing Beans - climbing in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 4 - 8 inches apart
  • Harvest in 9-11 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, spinach, lettuce, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry, cucumbers, zucchini, tagates minuta (wild marigold)
  • Avoid growing close to: Alliums (Chives, leek, garlic, onions), Florence fennel

Your comments and tips

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06 Apr 20, Jeanette Hagan (New Zealand - temperate climate)
We bought a packet of bean seeds about 6 years ago from M10. Unfortunately we lost the packet and can't identify the name of the bean. Can anyone help. The seed is black when you plant it. The beans are a climbing bean. Very flat and Matt (not shiny). They are the BEST tasting bean and produce prolifically. We save the seed annually, but would love to know what they are. Please!
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07 Apr 20, Toni Robertson (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi www.koanga.org.nz have a black runner bean seed called Takamatua. Check the photo on their site. Great range of NZ heritage seeds on this site.
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06 Apr 20, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Go to a seed selling website and look through the beans seeds they sell, you will probably find what you grew. Try Boondie Seeds or Eden Seeds.
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31 Mar 20, Michele (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We live 65klms south of Geraldton on the coast. Are we classed as Sub tropical or temperature zone please
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01 Apr 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It does say sub-tropical Geraldton to Carnarvon. Being 65 klm south wouldn't make any difference.
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03 Apr 20, Michele (Australia - arid climate)
Thank you for your help so I dont need to worry about a whole 65klms and go with the original
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16 Feb 20, J garthwaite (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Is it too late to sow runner beans in glass house
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18 Feb 20, anon (Australia - temperate climate)
I have never had a glass house, but if I did and lived in a cool place, then I think the glass house would raise the temperature a lot inside to maybe temperate or even sub tropical levels. Apply that thinking to your planting and growing times.
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27 Jan 20, Al Rankin (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, I planted seeds in December, but although the plant continues to grow, to date, I have not had any flowers? I have previously grown them in the same vicinity very successfully. Any ideas will be gratefully accepted. Thanks
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29 Jan 20, Anon (New Zealand - temperate climate)
If the soil is very rich they would probably produce a lot of growth before flowering. I had climbing beans in a new rich garden bed and they grew to about 1.2-1.5m before flowering. Plants would have gone to 3m if the trellis went that high.
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Showing 61 - 70 of 261 comments
See comments for all plants

From a publication (University of Mass) CORRECTIVE ACTION IS: 1. Rotate bean with non-host crops. 2.Plow under infected crop residues. 3.Eliminate volunteer bean plants. 4.Select planting dates and schedule irrigation to avoid long periods of leaf wetness when temperatures are warm. 5.Disinfect poles in production of pole beans. 5.Avoid over application of nitrogen and ensure adequate potassium fertilization. 6.Plant resistant cultivars. ==> your issue is the rust sort of creates these pustules that allow the rust to survive over winter, or during crop rotations. You need to ensure you dig the old plants deep into the soil, clean your equipment (poles, garden gloves etc.). I would be inclined to use SULPHUR -- "Sulphur Dust Fungicide and Miticide" is usually what it is called. This dust can be sprinkled all over, on the plants etc. or can be mixed with water and sprayed. Also avoid planting beans in areas of "stagnant air" the plants need to be able to dry out -- in other words water on the plants (moist leaves and stems) are great breeding grounds for your rust. It's actually not a difficult problem to resolve, once you know what needs to be done -- remove and bury infected leaves, and/or sprinkle with sulphur dust, mitigate moisture retention (get the air flow going -- maybe you change up the arrangement of planting so the air flows through the plants and whisks away the moisture.

- Faith Celeste Archer

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