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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09 Apr 13, derek howes (Australia - temperate climate)
where can ibuy runner bean seed , as grown in uk ?
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09 Mar 13, Carol Groves (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
M y climbing beans are climbing beautifully , but no flowers yet.they are about 6 foot high.Carol.
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27 Mar 13, Jade (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
try again with a different batch. I would think you should see flowers even at 2 or 3 foot. I have 'searles' climbing blue.
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02 Nov 12, Marcus Rees (Australia - temperate climate)
My French runner beans appear to be doing quite well. They have flowered and are now fruiting, however they are all yet to put out runners and none are taller then 40-50cm. Any ideas?
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08 Oct 12, Stehen King (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Climbing beans - basal leaves are developing dark red/brown spots surrounded by yellow haloes. Leaves then become pale yellow and die.Had this in bean crops in a different bed last year. Help pls. Thanks for any ideas.
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01 Oct 12, amy (Australia - temperate climate)
im growing climbing purple beans and i realy need help about how much sun they need thx HELP
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15 Mar 12, martin (Australia - temperate climate)
Scarlet runner beans like lots of water and do not seem to set beans untill the days grow shorter in autumn. In Sydney try planting them in well limed soil in mid January so they begin to flower around mid March.
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02 Mar 12, David Mapstone (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My climbimg beans are growing well and I can see that they need plenty of space otherwise they get quite tangled if confined. I am worried however that most are developing brown blotches on the beans. They seem health enough, but few remain plain green as I prefer them. Need I worry about them?
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17 Jan 12, frank kroeger (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
why didnt my scarlet runner bean get any beans.had plenty of flowers and after that nothing.thank you frank
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01 Oct 12, Noodle (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Runner beans will only set pods with cool nights. Perhaps the nights were too warm where you grew them? Where I live they do not set pods until late autumn, then we have a few weeks before frost kills them.
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Showing 141 - 150 of 183 comments
See comments for all plants

Beans fix their own nitrogen, which if you like to companion plant (and some people do), the beans don't compete for the nitrogen. Some studies indicate the the beans assist (perk) the other plants by giving them nitrogen WITHOUT over supplying nitrogen - and too much nitrogen can be a problem for some plants (corn in particular). The standard North American Indian Three sisters planting is: Corn, beans and squash. This combination dates back ........ probably centuries and it has been around a long time for good reason: Corn is actually fairly WEAK rooted when young; corn can uprooted fairly easily when it starts growing. Squash on the other hand is a rooting power house. The squash stabilizes the corn. The squash with it's large leaves ALSO shades the soil (all plants that I know of like shaded soil, keeping their roots cooler -- even full sun plants want shaded soil). The beans then scamper up the corn, and perk the corn and squash with nitrogen. What your asking is can I take this classic all time threesome and substitute sweet potatoes for the squash. I really can't see a reason why you could not. It sounds reasonable. Further more Blistering on sweet potatoes can be prevented by adding Borax to soil - and corn loves boron (boron gives corn not only better tassels but better yields). Additionally, both corn and sweet potatoes need and love potassium. So when I think about it... it sounds like a really good combination. Best of Luck.

- Celeste Archer

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