Growing Beans - climbing, also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners

Phaseolus vulgaris, Phaseolus coccineus : Fabaceae / the pea or legume family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P              

(Best months for growing Beans - climbing in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 4 - 8 inches apart
  • Harvest in 9-11 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, spinach, lettuce, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry, cucumbers, zucchini, tagates minuta (wild marigold)
  • Avoid growing close to: Alliums (Chives, leek, garlic, onions), Florence fennel

Your comments and tips

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05 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I'm not sure but I think GMO seed is really only sold to commercial growers. A lot of seed we buy is either heirloom or hybrid (a cross of two or more varieties). Someone can correct me on this but I think organic food is more about how you grow it - no chemical sprays or chemical fertilisers. Just had a look - Eden seeds sell organic seeds - probably cost a lot more though. Phone them if you like.
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05 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Dale I don't know any organic seed selling companies. I really only started planting a lot of things by seed the last 2 years. I use to buy a lot of seedlings - lettuce, cabbage, corn, celery, broccoli etc. It was only last year I decided to grow more from seed. It can be very hit or miss trying to germinate small seeds. I built a small green house at the back of my shed and installed a water spray line to germinate some seeds - small seeds are easily displaced by big droplets of water. Germination rates vary so much but a lot has to do with how we manage watering etc as they germinate. I buy most of my seeds from Boondie seeds in Armidale NSW. Email her and see what she can tell you. I like her
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02 Dec 18, wayne gardiner (Australia - temperate climate)
edges of bean leaves drying out
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02 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sounds like lack of water or hot sun. Temp here today 35-36 - within 2 degrees of record since 1948 for Dec. Not really a good time to be trying to grow things in SE Qld.
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04 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hot dry winds can do this also - especially a NW wind - current heat wave conditions north of Gladstone.
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27 Nov 18, G'Day Farm (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have started to get the same problem with our blue lake beans, beautiful and now not so much. My general feeling is not enough even watering. I use tech line and we've had very little rain. When we had the rain they were perfect.
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29 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The techline watering might not give a good enough watering - 3L/h/dripper spaced 300mm. When plants are near/full grown I probably give my plants (about 10 plants) 1 1/2 to 2 minutes at 20 L/ min.
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29 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have had 2 great crops (dwarf) this spring. My third planting is struggling with flowering (they are shaded by tall sweet corn in the afternoon) and my 4th crop is flowering now also. All crops were planted after having grown other crops in the autumn and winter. I gave all crops a good hit up with fertiliser and the plants have grown big and strong. I have mulched around the plants and watered M W F. It is quite hot now (within 1-3 degree of record highs) so they need water. I will rest my ground after these have finished producing. We have had a very dry last 6 weeks.
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22 Oct 18, James (Australia - tropical climate)
My beans (climbers and dwarf, both), don't seem to grow nice and straight and tend to curl. They still cook up well and taste fine. Thoughts please?
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23 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have had this problem in the past. I'm growing mine in the spring now - bean fly gets them in the autumn. I am giving my plants a good fertilizing and producing big healthy tall plants and I have straight beans. Do they touch the ground and curl.
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Showing 51 - 60 of 185 comments
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From a publication (University of Mass) CORRECTIVE ACTION IS: 1. Rotate bean with non-host crops. 2.Plow under infected crop residues. 3.Eliminate volunteer bean plants. 4.Select planting dates and schedule irrigation to avoid long periods of leaf wetness when temperatures are warm. 5.Disinfect poles in production of pole beans. 5.Avoid over application of nitrogen and ensure adequate potassium fertilization. 6.Plant resistant cultivars. ==> your issue is the rust sort of creates these pustules that allow the rust to survive over winter, or during crop rotations. You need to ensure you dig the old plants deep into the soil, clean your equipment (poles, garden gloves etc.). I would be inclined to use SULPHUR -- "Sulphur Dust Fungicide and Miticide" is usually what it is called. This dust can be sprinkled all over, on the plants etc. or can be mixed with water and sprayed. Also avoid planting beans in areas of "stagnant air" the plants need to be able to dry out -- in other words water on the plants (moist leaves and stems) are great breeding grounds for your rust. It's actually not a difficult problem to resolve, once you know what needs to be done -- remove and bury infected leaves, and/or sprinkle with sulphur dust, mitigate moisture retention (get the air flow going -- maybe you change up the arrangement of planting so the air flows through the plants and whisks away the moisture.

- Faith Celeste Archer

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