Runner beans

Time once more for planting the fantastic Runner Bean. This year I'm growing Polestar, Enorma and White Lady. With the Virus Shutdown I wasn't able to get White Lady seeds, so I'm growing those from last year's tubers. And, this year, I'm trying an experiment: I have two twelve-foot poles standing in barrells of compost with four bean seeds sown around each pole. I want to see just how high a runner bean will grow.

I have kept me own runner seed for years but this year I thought I would try some of the modern verities. They have just started to germinate. Good luck with the long poles! Have you got a cherry picker? I have grown Runners from tubers in the past but they were always much later to crop than seed sown, and they grew multi shoots. Good luck with them. I have had to get my seeds on line but even this is now getting a problem. Still, onward`s and upward.

My runners are just about ready to plant out. I came across a number of last years tubers that have started sprouting so I guess the soil is now warm enough to plant out. I will be planting Fire Storm, Tender Star and one other who`s name escapes me. Fresh picked runners served with butter. Yum.

I agree. I love 'em! Every bit as tasty as asparagus. My White Lady tubers are sprouting above ground and my four Enorma seeds have pushed up around their twelve foot pole, though no sign of the four Polestars. In the greenhouse, Polestars and Enormas all well up in pots - three to a pot. I intend planting them out on Saturday - I think the cold weather will end on Friday.

All planted out now. Over a hundred plants in all. We have had requests from some at the mart for runners as they could not get seed themselves. The variety I could not remember was St George. All new varieties to me so fingers crossed.

All mine planted out too - eighty of them.

The runners grow apace now. I noticed a few of last year's tubers have also sprouted. Even though they are a bit behind the seed sown plants they do look powerful, I expect they will be up with the others in no time. Like others here in the southeast we desperately need rain. My rainwater reserves are near depleted.

A bumper crop I am pleased to say. My three new verities (St George, Tender Star, and ? ) are cropping well with St George being the best being the first to crop and tender long pods. Tender Star is more fleshy and dark green which makes them look like they have gone too far, but they are tender and not stringy. Hows your tuber grown crop Sean?

The White Lady tubers grew just as well as the seeds and they actually started cropping about ten days before the ones grown from seed! The crop this year is huge - picking every other day. Local organic shop is taking a good few, eating a lot and the salting buckets are filling up! The twelve-foot poles in the barrels are completely covered in beans, right to the top and still growing. Next year, God willing, I'll try longer poles - maybe sixteen feet! I haven't picked any beans from those - I'm going to let them all ripen and harvest them for seed and dried beans. I'll try to get a picture.