Runner Beans

Runner Beans (Phaseolus coccineus)

Runner beans are a traditional and highly productive climbing crop, well suited to Irish conditions due to their tolerance of cooler temperatures compared to French beans. They produce long pods over an extended period and are a popular choice for home gardeners.

They are typically grown outdoors but can also be started early in a greenhouse or polytunnel to extend the season.

It's worth noting that, as with other legumes, runner beans are nitrogen fixers and as such are beneficial for the soil. Many also produce lovely flowers prior to producing pods and so they can make for a nice addition to flower beds and borders as well as the veg patch and are a valuable contributor in permaculture planting schemes.

Types of Runner Beans

Traditional Varieties – Long pods with strong flavour
Stringless Varieties – Improved texture and ease of preparation
Dwarf Runner Beans – Compact plants for smaller spaces

Growing Conditions

Soil & Site: Rich, moisture-retentive soil with plenty of organic matter. Runner beans are especially fond of well-rotted manure and will reward you with greater yields if you add some in your soil preparation. A sunny sheltered site is ideal.
Light: Full sun
Temperature: Tolerates cooler conditions - better than French beans
Spacing: 5 plants per cane/support with canes 40cm apart and 70cm between rows.

Sowing & Planting

Indoor Sowing: Sow from April or May in pots under cover. Sow 5 seeds per pot then these can be planted out in groups with 1 pot per cane. Personally I like to start mine off using the collected innards of toilet rolls, with one or 2 seeds per cardboard inner. I then plant these out around my canes, cardboard inner and all, in late May.
Outdoor Sowing: Sow direct from mid-May onwards - they need a minimum sol temperature of 10ºC to germinate.
Sow seeds 4–5 cm deep
Plant out once any risk of frost has passed.

Care & Maintenance

Provide strong supports such as canes or frames
Water regularly, especially during dry periods
Mulch to retain moisture
Pinch out growing tips once plants reach the top of supports

Growing in Containers

Use large containers or deep growbags
Ensure strong vertical supports
Water frequently and feed regularly

Harvesting & Storing.

Harvest pods while young and tender from July onwards as older pods can become stringy. Regular picking encourages further production so you should aim to pick some at least once or twice per week.

If you do end up with a glut or just want to save some for the winter, like French beans, runners are good for blanching and freezing. Trim the ends and cut into 1 inch/2.5cm pieces (or whatever your preference is), place in boiling water for 2 minutes then drain and plunge into iced water to cool them quickly. Once cooled you can bag 'em and freeze 'em.

Varieties to Try

Scarlet Emperor – Classic, reliable variety with nice red flowers prior to pod formation.
Celebration – RHS Award Winner with attractive pink flowers followed by a high yield of tasty pods.
Lady Di – Prolific cropper of tender beans that are completely stringless. Another red flowering variety.

Common Problems

Flowers dropping: Often due to very hot or very dry conditions (not something we usually have to worry about!)
Slugs: Can damage young plants
Poor pod set: Sometimes weather-related or lack of pollination
Wind damage: Tall plants benefit from sheltered positions

Culinary Use

Steamed or boiled
Added to stews and casseroles
Frozen for later use

Recipe – Steamed Runner Beans with Lemon & Butter

Ingredients

200g runner beans, sliced
25g butter
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper

Steam beans until tender.
Toss with butter and lemon juice.
Season and serve.

Simple seasonal recipe.

Nutritional Information

Per 100g:

Calories: 22Kcal
Protein: 1.6g
Carbohydrate: 3.2g
Fat: 0.4g
Fibre:2.0g

Runner beans are low in calories a good source of fibre, vitamin C and iron and high in folate which contributes to normal function of the immune system and reduces tiredness and fatigue.