Growing Climbing Beans
Planting:
outside after last frost
Days to harvest:
55 – 60
Light:
full sun
By: Meriel Bradley
Climbing beans are a must-have addition to the vegetable garden if you enjoy beans.
They produce all summer long once they mature – as long as you keep picking them they will keep on going into the fall.
Once you have experienced the taste of fresh beans from the garden you will always look forward to having that long summer harvest.
My absolute favourite eating bean is the Royal Burgandy Pole Bean in addition to the Scarlet Runner bean that I will plant around the garden for my hummingbirds.
Growing Tips
All types of beans need full sun for the best results
Make sure you have a sturdy structure for your beans, they get heavy and can pull down a support structure if it’s not strong enough. I like to build a support that spans 2 raised beds. This makes it easy to pick the beans which are easy to reach on the side and as they hang overhead.
You can direct sow once the danger of frost has passed – plant a few extra as backup plants – see comments on slugs below.
Slugs and snails really like tender bean shoots – I find coffee grounds help keep them at bay. I save them in the freezer in bags over the winter so they don’t go moldy and then defrost and use them in the spring. The slugs will generally leave them alone once they are past the young shoot stage, so if you can get them past the 3-week stage you should be ok.
Find your favourite variety and then try a new type of bean each year for fun – you never know what might be out there waiting for you to discover.
Scarlet Runner Bean Shoot
Royal Burgundy Pole Bean
Climbing bean shoot
Climbing Beans
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