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
S S             S S S S
T T               T T T
P P               P P P

(Best months for growing Beans - climbing in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed

September: sow after frost

  • 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 Sep 13, Victor Green (Australia - arid climate)
What is the best PH for beans also best fertiliser thank you
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27 Nov 13, Elizabeth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Around neutral, beans are a fertilizer crop so if your soil has a good amount of organic matter not much fertilizer is needed. Worm Tea or Castings or Seasol as water-ons or compost. Beans naturally up the amount of nitrogen in the soil. In rotation I put compost on a patch, grow leafy green (lettuce, spinach...) then fruiting (tomato, squash, corn... ) root (potato, onion, sweet potato, radish...) then beans or peas. A bit of compost will go on in-between as well as Seasol.
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13 Aug 13, Amayo Philliam (Australia - temperate climate)
COMMON CLIMBING BEAN VARIETIES IN UGANDA
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06 Aug 13, Peter Lawler (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just cleaned up last years trellis of old runners and have noted the growing of a few new plants in their place. I have cleared additional space for the beans and wonder if I should plant beans now or wait until late September-October as I have done in the past
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06 Jun 13, Anna (Australia - temperate climate)
I have bean seedlings which have been germinated and have 2-4 leaves on each. They are currently inside (a living fundraiser plant). It is time to plant them, but I have just realized it is not the right season. Is there any way to grow them in Melbourne, Victoria this time of year??
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05 Jun 13, (Australia - temperate climate)
My climbing beans' leaves are starting to yellow, dry and drop. At this time of the year the reticulation has been turn off but we've had a bit of rain and I'm still watering daily (when it hasn't rained ) and feeding fortnightly with Seasol. The beans are cropping so well and I want them to continue. Am I watering too much? The ground seems just moist.
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25 Apr 13, Sylvia (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can get runner beans from Green Harvest they also have the stringless ones as well.
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18 Apr 13, Scott hunt (Australia - temperate climate)
Someone said I should follow scarlet runner beans with garlic. This conflicts with other advice: any suggestions?
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30 Apr 13, Sustainable Jill (Australia - temperate climate)
General rule: don't grow legumes (beans, peas) with members of the onion family (onions, garlic etc). You can grow them together but they won't necessarily thrive. Also, beans do all their growing in summer whereas garlic starts in winter and ends in summer...so there will probably only be a small period of overlap ;)
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15 Apr 13, Judith Reudavey (Australia - temperate climate)
I am growing beans from seeds a friend gave me. They have climbed and spread and the purple flowers produce many pods, which we are eating. They don't appear to be scarlett or hiacynth climbing beans, but have a similar habit. I'd like advice for using them - freezing or using in preserves. Thank you
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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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