Growing green beans

[Gemini]

Does anyone grow green beans?

I love all vegetables , but am much more restricted in recent years due to ibs.
I have to avoid or severely limit many of the veg I love.
Two of my safest to eat and which luckily I enjoy are carrots and green beans, so we buy an awful lot of those, along with all the other veg which OH can enjoy.

Considering how many green beans we buy I feel it would be good idea to grow some this year.
I just wondered if anyone had any experience or tips?

[Plantaholic]

My OH used to grow climbing french beans, we used to get very heavy crops from them. I used to start them off in trays of individual holes so you do not disturb the roots when transplanted. They don't like to be too wet and cold in the trays, I used to put two seeds in each section. The root trainer planters are very good as it gives you a nice long root to plant out. You do need a framed support like runners. We used a variety called Blue Lake. Good luck

[Grauntie Mag]

I grow beans Gem. Exactly as Plant says, but runner beans. Once planted out in a well mulched (to help with keeping them moist) and manured bed with supports they will grow like Topsy! Watch for green and black fly though. I just hose them off. Plant two to a cane just in case one fails, and water regularly. Good luck.

[Daisy]

I've grown runner beans, broad beans and French beans for years, Gem. I grew dwarf broad beans - they are easy and don't generally need staking.

Runner and French beans you can grow straight into the garden. On the allotment I used to start them in root trainers or pots and when large enough and the frosts have finished, plant them out into quite deep planting holes with added manure, compost or organic fertiliser (eg fish, blood and bone) Fill the planting hole with water, let it drain then put the little plant in and backfull, but still leaving a big of a hollow. It helps to retain rain water and creates a micro-climate to help stop them drying out. Once they were planted I'd water them the following week and after that they were on their own.

They look pretty planted two beans per cane and the canes tied into a wigwam shape. They like sunshine and moisture, but as Grauntie says a good layer of mulch helps to retain moisture and reduce weeds competing for nutrients in the soil. The mulch can be as simple as grass clippings from the lawn.

Sadly our garden soil is solid clay and too shady, so I'll have to make do with going to the local PIY this year.

[Plantaholic]

We used to grow runners too, I thought Gemini meant french beans. Both are worth growing.

[Gemini]

Neither of us are keen on broad beans, but love French and runner beans, so thank you everyone for your hints. We will go seed shopping

[Daisy]

Both OH and I love broad beans, and I even like shelling them with those nice furry linings inside the pod.

Gem - good luck with your seeds - get your runners going first, then sow the french beans - it gives you a longer season. If you pick runners young they freeze really well.

[Plantaholic]

Not keen on broad beans either Gemini, even home grown ones unless they are in a white sauce.