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 P P

(Best months for growing Beans - climbing in New Zealand - cool/mountain 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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08 Jan 17, Jo Holden (Australia - temperate climate)
Sowed the Blue Lake climbing beans and had success for number of years, it last 2 summers have problems with brown and sparse leaves. Small crop so far..bed was prepared, and have fed them also water from the top..any ideas or just too hot..have planted a second lot and they look alright?
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09 Jan 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Climbing beans do not set well in hot weather. You can have a row of pods form on the flower spike then a few hot days and none will form, then a few cooler days and more beans will form. I can't say much about the brown leaves except it could be the heat. Trust this helps.
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04 Jan 17, Bob Morrow (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Have been growing Scarlet runner beans for 30 years but the past 2 years have not been able to get any flowers leave a loan not one bean plant above 1 foot.We have had up to 20mm rain here in New Plymouth just about every second day so I have put it down to that the ground has been to wet not only but have pulled out only to find Eel worms chewing on the roots.I have gone and brought some new plants from our Mitre 10 hoping these will grow for me.Can you explain as why I have not had any beans the past couple years.
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05 Dec 16, Heather Sterling (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I really would like to obtain some of the purple climbing bean (Blue Peter?) seeds. They also had scarlet flowers . I last grew them almost 50 years ago and have been looking for them on and off ever since.
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03 Dec 16, Paul A'Barge (USA - Zone 8b climate)
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.
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10 Aug 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 9a climate)
The secret to germinating bean seeds is to plant at the right time, soil temperature that is. Prepare your soil and give it a good wetting. 2-3 days later plant the bean seeds. Give a light watering after planting and then DO NOT WATER AGAIN FOR 4-5 DAYS especially in hot weather. Then just give it a light watering. OVER WATERING WILL CAUSE THE SEEDS TO GO ROTTEN.
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20 Aug 16, Pamela Cox Pamela Margaret Cox (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hobart is cool of course but sunny i summer, last year the hot spell did help loss of many beans during thode few days
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14 Oct 16, Dave (Australia - temperate climate)
suggest you use potash to promote flowering and water the climbers from the top down. Water in the evening once the heat is less. Scarlet Runners do not like hot weather.
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22 Apr 16, Robyn (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can I grow snake beans in blue Mts?
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17 Mar 16, Trevor Watson (Australia - arid climate)
Have a trellis 6ft high and the runners are growing above . do I pinch off or let them come back on trellis and grow downwards. or wind breaks off.. Trevor Watson..
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There are two main things to think about when practicing crop rotation. The first; what condition (nutrition, minerals, tilth) will this crop leave the soil in. In this case your current crop is beans -- they fix their own nitrogen, so their roots will be full of nitrogen nodules (little white bubbles) and provided you just turn the roots into the ground -- the nitrogen will be available for the next crop. So your next crop CAN BE a heavy nitrogen feeder -- there should be lots of nitrogen there. Also beans do a surprisingly good job at breaking up the soil...maybe breaking up is too strong a word -- beans leave the soil very light and well blended with good aeration. Beans are not heavy feeders and therefore you don't need to worry about them depleting the soil of anything in particular, a basic application of manure should restore things. -- The Second concern of crop rotation is ; pests -- what pests did the beans attract ? Generally beans attract slugs and the sort of insects that feed on tender leaves (as young beans have very nice tender leaves) -- so ideally you want to plant something that these insects/slugs don't feed on -- something like tomatoes (their leaves are not suitable -- or tend not to be suitable for slugs). Then review what you would like to plant -- and determine the plant that best suits the conditions. Nightshades tend to be the most typical choice to follow beans -- Nightshade is a family of plants that includes tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. Since you are probably already set up with poles - I might go for indeterminate tomatoes (which are really vines and require support).

- Celeste Archer

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