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     P P        

(Best months for growing Beans - climbing in USA - Zone 8b 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 16°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 10 - 20 cm 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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10 Aug 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
The planting guide says that you can plant them now. Plant and give a good watering and don't water for 3-5 days. Too much watering in hot weather will rot the seeds.
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04 Jun 20, Josie (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in Adelaide and my climbing beans still green are sending out flowers. I would have thought, their season would be over. The beans are rather small in comparison to what I was harvesting over autumn. Should I pull out the climbing beans and make room for a new vegetable? thanks
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05 Jun 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
All depends what you want to do with the soil. If still producing a decent crop for the effort, leave them in. If you have had a good crop and/or you want to start preparing the soil for another crop then time to pull out. Like if I have spent $1.25 for 25 seeds and they have produced 3-4kg of beans worth $15-25 then I'm happy to pull out if production has dropped. With my dwarf beans in the spring I generally do 3 good pickings then it is time to pull out. I usually have 3-4 plantings following each other.
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01 Jun 20, Denise van der Marel (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi there, thank you for your reply. I know they can grow up to 150cm. but I'm not sure if that categoriseses these beans as dwarf (bush) beans or climbing beans?
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02 Jun 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Beans and peas are fundamentally different in how they climb. Peas send out little side tendrils that cling to trellises like tiny hands, and hold on that way – the central plant grows straight (ish) upwards, relying on it’s curly hands for support. Therefore, pea trellises need to include thin wires/strings etc, so that the pea’s little tendrils have something to hang on to as they grow. Beans, however, twine upwards with the whole plant, so they can handle chunkier trellises made of bamboo, wood etc. This is why they’re sometimes called pole beans – cause all they need is a pole, and up they’ll grow.
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23 Apr 21, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks for this info., I had great success with twine on bamboo for peas and bamboo poles for beans.
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02 Jun 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would say they are a bush as they don't have tentacles to attach themselves to a trellis/???.
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26 May 20, Eric Brooker (United Kingdom - warm/temperate climate)
Do runner beans grow up poles in clockwise direction? Anti clockwise here. Of course I need to know!
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01 Jan 21, Jason (Australia - temperate climate)
Good question. Mine are growing up in a clockwise direction - Penrith, NSW Australia.
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27 May 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I suggest you grow some, then you will be the expert.
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There are two main things to think about when practicing crop rotation. The first; what condition (nutrition, minerals, tilth) will this crop leave the soil in. In this case your current crop is beans -- they fix their own nitrogen, so their roots will be full of nitrogen nodules (little white bubbles) and provided you just turn the roots into the ground -- the nitrogen will be available for the next crop. So your next crop CAN BE a heavy nitrogen feeder -- there should be lots of nitrogen there. Also beans do a surprisingly good job at breaking up the soil...maybe breaking up is too strong a word -- beans leave the soil very light and well blended with good aeration. Beans are not heavy feeders and therefore you don't need to worry about them depleting the soil of anything in particular, a basic application of manure should restore things. -- The Second concern of crop rotation is ; pests -- what pests did the beans attract ? Generally beans attract slugs and the sort of insects that feed on tender leaves (as young beans have very nice tender leaves) -- so ideally you want to plant something that these insects/slugs don't feed on -- something like tomatoes (their leaves are not suitable -- or tend not to be suitable for slugs). Then review what you would like to plant -- and determine the plant that best suits the conditions. Nightshades tend to be the most typical choice to follow beans -- Nightshade is a family of plants that includes tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. Since you are probably already set up with poles - I might go for indeterminate tomatoes (which are really vines and require support).

- Celeste Archer

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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