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
  • A few young Scarlet Runners
  • Purple climbing beans

Grow beans up fences, trellis, sweet corn, trees. Almost anywhere can be 'vertically productive'.

Keep well watered and pick regularly to encourage new flowers. Watch out for snails, as they will eat through the stems near ground level, and will completely eat newly sprouted beans. If you have nice new beans plants one day, and none the next, then it is probably slugs or snails.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Beans - climbing

Use young in salads - blanch and cool. Will freeze well.

Your comments and tips

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Mike, when I transplanted some climbing beans and peas along a fenceline, I forgot to take the tray of seedlings (with mostly different types of climbing tomatoes in) back to the bush/greenhouse. Next day I went to town and didn't water so didn't see the tray still sitting on the ground in a vege garden. Next day I saw it! Could have cried! It was if someone had snipped the tops (little leaves) of my tomato seedlings off (climbing Italian flat tomato/druzba/blue ridge and I forget what else). I don't know what :( .I returned the tray to the greenhouse and it looks like they may grow back? Tonight I found a possum in the garden but believe possums don't eat green (or pumpkin)? Could it have been grasshoppers? I was told I have planted tomatoes out of season (I am also trying to see what grows here and what is not so successful).. (started thinning out seedlings today. I put too many seeds in together., transplanting each one into separate pots:buttercrunch lettuce, rhubarb-don't kniw if will grow here- Egyptian spinach etc etc etc). Looks like the Marrow (Melbourne cream) seedlings are settling in after being transplanted in the garden). What do I feed tomato plants, please? I bought some Epsom salts but don't kniw what to do with it. Thankyou again. Jane

- Jane

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