Growing Beans - climbing, also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners

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07 Apr 20 Don McLeod (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I bought a few years ago a different scarlet runner flowers white & red they have turned out to be a perenial not an annual like most modern runners . Query can I cut back while the leaves are green or do I have to leave and let die back so the root system gets more nourishment ? Thanks
20 Apr 20 Claudia (Australia - temperate climate)
Scarlet runner bean aka 7 year bean is a perennial bean. It will die back in the cooler months and shoot up again when warm enough. You can cut them back, compost, seaweed solution and mulch. When it starts to shoot up again, it will need a good feed.
08 Apr 20 anon (Australia - temperate climate)
My thoughts on this are, you paid $3-5 for a packet of seeds and they probably produced $20- 30 worth of beans. That is a pretty good investment. If you like, let a few mature and keep the seeds for planting in the future. Why bother messing around with old plants trimming them and looking after them for months. Your soil needs a good working over and resting and manure compost etc added to build it up for the next season of plants.
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