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          
      T T T T T        
      P P P P          

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

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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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02 Dec 18, wayne gardiner (Australia - temperate climate)
edges of bean leaves drying out
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02 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sounds like lack of water or hot sun. Temp here today 35-36 - within 2 degrees of record since 1948 for Dec. Not really a good time to be trying to grow things in SE Qld.
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04 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hot dry winds can do this also - especially a NW wind - current heat wave conditions north of Gladstone.
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27 Nov 18, G'Day Farm (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have started to get the same problem with our blue lake beans, beautiful and now not so much. My general feeling is not enough even watering. I use tech line and we've had very little rain. When we had the rain they were perfect.
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29 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The techline watering might not give a good enough watering - 3L/h/dripper spaced 300mm. When plants are near/full grown I probably give my plants (about 10 plants) 1 1/2 to 2 minutes at 20 L/ min.
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29 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have had 2 great crops (dwarf) this spring. My third planting is struggling with flowering (they are shaded by tall sweet corn in the afternoon) and my 4th crop is flowering now also. All crops were planted after having grown other crops in the autumn and winter. I gave all crops a good hit up with fertiliser and the plants have grown big and strong. I have mulched around the plants and watered M W F. It is quite hot now (within 1-3 degree of record highs) so they need water. I will rest my ground after these have finished producing. We have had a very dry last 6 weeks.
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22 Oct 18, James (Australia - tropical climate)
My beans (climbers and dwarf, both), don't seem to grow nice and straight and tend to curl. They still cook up well and taste fine. Thoughts please?
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23 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have had this problem in the past. I'm growing mine in the spring now - bean fly gets them in the autumn. I am giving my plants a good fertilizing and producing big healthy tall plants and I have straight beans. Do they touch the ground and curl.
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24 Oct 18, James (Australia - tropical climate)
Hi Mike... No, they just seem to curl anywhere.
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22 Oct 18, Robyn Williams (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello. I'm wondering if climbing beans will grow on a south facing fence in Melbourne?
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Showing 51 - 60 of 183 comments
See comments for all plants

Web page - queensland gardening.com - go to calendar and it gives a guide to planting each month. If they eat the tops of the tomatoes then you will probably only have side shoots grow. I'm going to plant tomato seeds early August and plant out early Sept. I have some tomatoes growing now - doing fairly well. Put a couple of teaspoons of Epsom salts in 9 L of water and sprinkle on the soil where the tomatoes go in. I use commercial fertiliser from Produce Suppliers (where farmers buy their fertiliser). 25Kg bag for $25-35. Use most on the lawn. About 10-14N,4-6P and 10-15K. I use about 2-3 teaspoons in 9 L of water when the plants are well established. I plant seeds into small plastic trays (get your meat etc in from supermarkets) then when seedlings germinate I plant out into 6-8 cell trays. When they start growing I place them where they receive about 3 hrs sunlight a day.

- Mike

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