Vegetable Plants - Runner Beans 'Red Rum' - 16 x Large Plant Pack - Garden Ready + Ready to Plant - Premium Quality Plants

Product Information

Runner bean ‘Tenderstar’ – pretty pink and red bicolour flowers and smooth, tender, stringless pods. I have heard claims, from two different sources, that this variety is self-pollinating. If this is true then earlier harvests would be expected from this variety, compared to the other ones, as pollinating insects (which are not abundant in late spring/early summer) would not be required for pod setting (as is the case for example with the self-pollinating french beans). If this is true then Red Rum should set pods inside a greenhouse or by a window indoors with sufficient light (i.e. in the absence of pollinators). Has anyone found this to be the case? If left to grow out Polestar beans are great for competitive growers as they grow reliably straight, and pods can reach 1m long. 4. Scarlet Emperor runner bean That said, runner beans do benefit from a regular feed. Look for a fertiliser that’s low in nitrogen but high in phosphorus and potassium. Iron, calcium, and manganese are also important. Weeding and Mulching Runner Beans You might use them to create a division between different garden rooms, along a sunny garden boundary, or growing up the side of a pergola, gazebo, or other garden structure.

Acidic or poor-quality soils may hamper crop production. It’s advisable to prepare the soil adequately before planting runner beans. Runner beans are perennials by design, and in their natural habitat will grow again in the spring, but due to the weather conditions here in the UK it is best to save some seeds on the plant to regrow from seed next year; avoiding mild and dry winters you will get a better crop. Products we recommend Remove the dustbin lid and place that last four midway between the compass points and tie securely at the top.Runner beans have become one of the most useful vegetables and they crop from late-July until the autumn, roughly 12 weeks after being sown or planted. There are two main problems however - they’re susceptible to frost and summer gales, so it's important to plant them in sheltered positions after all risk of frost has passed. Choosing your runner bean varieties Runner beans grow better with deep, rich soil that is fertilised with organic matter such as compost or manure. They are hungry plants and have very deep roots. Sow seeds 5cm (2in) deep directly into the compost in late spring or start seedlings indoors in mid-spring and transplant into the container once they are big enough (around 10cm/4in tall). Runner beans are wonderfully versatile in the kitchen. Boiling them in salted water for a few minutes is the easiest and simplest cooking method. However, if you want to get a little more creative, here are a few runner bean dishes to try:

A traditional dwarf runner bean variety which stood the test of time and proved its worth. Masses of orange flowers appear in late spring followed by an excellent crop of stringless beans. Sow runner beans indoors in pots in mid-spring, or sow directly into the ground outdoors in late spring and early summer once all risk of frost is gone. A new variety of dwarf runner bean which is proving a great success. The red and white flowers alone are enough reason to give this plant space in your garden. At the same time however it will produce a good crop of stringless and tasty runner beans. This is not a "novelty" variety, it really does the job. Generally white-flowered runner bean varieties tolerate more heat, so do better in warmer summers, but conversely they tend to do badly in cooler, wetter summers. Many think white-flowered varieties have more flavor, however.Runner beans take about one week to germinate. If you’ve given them containers that are deep enough, they’ll be happy to remain in them until they’re planted out. Make sure that you give your seedlings plenty of light and water during this time. How to Direct Sow Runner Bean Seeds: In the ground (or in raised beds) runner beans will be very at home in a traditional vegetable garden or allotment. But with their attractive flowers and form, they can also look great among flowers in an ornamental and edible part of the garden. Runner beans will require full sun, and a sheltered position. As climbers, they will need some kind of support so this should of course be factored in when you are making a decision about where they should be grown.

Just like other plants in the legume family, runner beans are able to draw up nitrogen from deep within the soil. This means that they definitely don’t need to be supplemented with more nitrogen, as this would cause excess foliage at the expense of pods. This variety produces edible pods slightly earlier in the year than some others we have tried and the red flowers are very attractive. Awarded an RHS AGM in 2006. ACHIEVEMENT-MERIT The main harvest from runner bean plants will typically be the green pods, before the beans inside them form fully. But remember, you can also grow runner beans for the beans to shell, dry and use as a pulse. These are a very useful and protein rich addition to your homegrown diet. A good place to start when choosing runner beans is with varieties that have received an award of garden merit from the RHS:Water the pots and put them on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse to germinate. This should take about one week. Make sure you harvest any beans that are ready every 2-3 days, so that no pods reach maturity, since once they do, the plants won’t produce any more.