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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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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Showing 41 - 50 of 261 comments
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I have had zero luck with climbing beans in zone 8B. I buy the seeds from a local greenhouse/starter and plant - diddly comes up. Next year I am going to start seeds in starter pots and I will transplant those that show up and are healthy. I think the seller of the seeds does not want to bother starting seeds and so keeps old seed around to sell to people who want climbing beans, aka rip off.

- Paul A'Barge

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