Beans

hezwez, Jan 22, 12:45pm
I've resurrected this thread to ask for suggestions for heavy cropping runner bean varieties. I have saved seed, enriched the soil and dug it over, plant when the soil is warmer and avoid them getting wet feet and rotting when they're planted, but have had limited success. TIA
loukirby, Jan 22, 1:53pm
Do they fail to get started or don't germinate? I grew beans well until I moved and then had fail after fail. In the end I germinated my seeds in the tuffy pots and then put them into the ground. Aside from rabbits eating the plants - I have had success.
hezwez, Jan 22, 2:58pm
Thanks loukirby. They germinated fine, just appeared weak and didn't crop well. I chose the purple variety because they're easier to see but any variety that crops well would be fine. What variety do you grow?
loukirby, Jan 22, 8:30pm
I have had a few varieties from Kings seeds so would have to check when I go to my shed next. I generally get climbers but I have also had success with dwarf. I
hezwez, Jan 22, 8:32pm
Thanks i'd appreciate that. Heavy cropping climbers, not dwarf, are what I'm after.
oh_hunnihunni, Jan 23, 7:47am
Back in December I planted some seedlings from last years snake beans into a big pot with sheep pellets and a new kind of potting mix someone gave me to try out. They just sort of sat there, and slowly yellowed, so I deluged them with a liquid food mix on a regular basis for a couple of weeks and the colour returned to green, but it is only in the last few days that they have started to put on new leaf. I suspect that is because the soil temperature has now reached 'hot' which they rather like, and those roots have finally penetrated the impoverished mix far enough to reach the sheep pellets. One thing is for sure, while I should be grateful for the gift, I am very glad it wasn't my money invested in the stuff.

Snake beans though are really worth growing, if you get hot dry summers, they are heavy croppers, the flowers are beautiful, and the vines go on for ever!
sla11, Feb 1, 3:33pm
Not a lot of luck with Scarlet Runners previous years - read in book NEVER keep old beans for the next year. Put newly bought in this year, about 3 didn't grow. Rest did but windy, windy Manawatu has knocked them back a bit. Keep them watered, have had sheep pellets and Seasol to feed them. Have had one small feed so hope wind stays away. Don't like the Aussie beans from the shop!
whynot47, Feb 1, 3:55pm
sparrows like eating the juicy red flowers of my scarlet runners. no beans on some vines
lyndad59, Apr 25, 2:51pm
I have grown beans for the 1st time this year and I have tried google but just can't find the answer . do these seeds only last the one season and I rip them out and plant new seeds next year ? Thanks for any help . they were SO delicious by the way
omamari, Apr 25, 3:37pm
Depends on the variety. Scarlet runners are perennial, most others aren't but I just save some seeds and plant them the following spring
articferrit, Apr 25, 3:48pm
Cut the scarlet runners off about 6" high and leave them, dry some of the old beans off and keep for next year, when the ones in the ground start to grow, push the beans in beside them to fill in any gaps and you will get 2 years from them then too.
lythande1, Apr 25, 4:04pm
Seeds? Yes, you can plant the seeds next year. The plants themselves are unlikely to survive frosts in winter.
les6, Apr 25, 4:16pm
save a few of the old dried up pods that you may have missed.beans are ture to type and you can keep your favourite strains for years like this.Shiny fardenlosa is my favourite and i missplaced my saved ones this year so bought a fesh packet. they were not shiny fardenlosa but some short flat looking thing,tasted ok but if you left them a minute too long on the plant they were so stringy! lucky i found my kepy ones and planted a late row which were what they were meant to be.
lyndad59, Apr 25, 4:17pm
Thank you very much for all your replies
bluefrog2, Aug 21, 7:05am
Mine won't live through winter in Dunedin.