Growing Beans


Runner and French

These should be sown from late April. They are quick to germinate and grow but susceptible to cold, especially French beans.

You can either sow them indoors on a windowsill in late April or May, putting one bean in each pot, 5cm deep, Harden off( acclimatise) young plants , but wait to plant them outside until the risk of frost has passed. If you are going to grow them in a container outside, you could sow them directly into it and protect them from the cold with a fleece or similar.

Beans need a warm, sunny spot in well drained soil.

Climbing beans will need some kind of frame or wigwam to climb, but you can also get dwarf French beans from which you get a good crop ,but don’t get any taller than 30cm.. They are idea for a window box.


Broad beans

These are extremely hardy and can be sown outside in late winter, early spring, for a summer harvest, or in the autumn to harvest the following May. They take up a lot of space unless you grow dwarf beans which can be grown in pots.

If the weather is very cold it would be wise to cover them during that time.

Sow seeds 5cm deep and 20cm apart. They are best sown in double rows with the rows 20cm apart

Taller varieties will need supporting, so place a stout stake at each corner of the double row and every 1.5metres round the rows and run string around the stakes at 30cm intervals from the ground.


Water the plants when they begin to flower and again 2 weeks later. Watering at other times is only needed during prolonged droughts.

You can harvest the pods when they are 7.5 cm long and cook them whole.

When picking pods to shell, wait until the beans are visible through the pod, but do not leave them for too long or they become tough . The scar on the bean should be white or green. If it’s black, you’ve missed the boat !

Runner and French

These should be sown from late April. They are quick to germinate and grow but susceptible to cold, especially French beans.

You can either sow them indoors on a windowsill in late April or May, putting one bean in each pot, 5cm deep, Harden off( acclimatise) young plants , but wait to plant them outside until the risk of frost has passed. If you are going to grow them in a container outside, you could sow them directly into it and protect them from the cold with a fleece or similar.

Beans need a warm, sunny spot in well drained soil.

Climbing beans will need some kind of frame or wigwam to climb, but you can also get dwarf French beans from which you get a good crop ,but don’t get any taller than 30cm.. They are idea for a window box.


Broad beans

These are extremely hardy and can be sown outside in late winter, early spring, for a summer harvest, or in the autumn to harvest the following May. They take up a lot of space unless you grow dwarf beans which can be grown in pots.

If the weather is very cold it would be wise to cover them during that time.

Sow seeds 5cm deep and 20cm apart. They are best sown in double rows with the rows 20cm apart

Taller varieties will need supporting, so place a stout stake at each corner of the double row and every 1.5metres round the rows and run string around the stakes at 30cm intervals from the ground.

Water the plants when they begin to flower and again 2 weeks later. Watering at other times is only needed during prolonged droughts.

You can harvest the pods when they are 7.5 cm long and cook them whole.

When picking pods to shell, wait until the beans are visible through the pod, but do not leave them for too long or they become tough . The scar on the bean should be white or green. If it’s black, you’ve missed the boat !