Tag Archives: Runner Beans

Aug
03
2012

Better Weather for Beans – At Last

Posted on August 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

beans growing up wooden plant support
Thanks to nightly slug and snail patrols – and a bit of summer – the runner beans are at last romping up their poles and flowering prolifically. We may not have a glut, but we shall be eating beans before long. I’m firmly of the belief that runner beans should be eaten young and fresh, Andrew on the other hand has squirrel-like tendencies and is intent on storing everything away for winter use. Frozen runner beans in February are not much fun. To be fair, he fills most of the freezer with soft fruit which is very welcome in the winter.

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Aug
07
2010

Grow your own

Posted on August 7, 2010 | Leave a comment

We are now eating our own potatoes – the Charlottes have cropped well and taste great and we should have the first picking of runner beans this weekend.  The soft fruit is in full swing and Andrew is picking plenty to freeze as well as supplying our 5-a-day.

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Apr
23
2010

Things to do in the garden in April

Posted on April 23, 2010 | Leave a comment
  • Weeds are springing up everywhere so don’t delay dealing with them
  • Sow runner beans, dwarf beans and other tender vegetables in the greenhouse
  • Pot on seedlings as soon as you can handle them
  • If you haven’t started yet, now is the time to give the lawn its first cut
  • Start to harden off plants in the greenhouse and coldframe – move them outdoors in fine weather and back under cover at night for about 6 days

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Mar
14
2010

Rootrainers Offer

Posted on March 14, 2010 | 1 Comment

Just at the right time of year Haxnicks is offering good savings on Roottrainers,  the perfect  growing system for deep-rooted plants like broad beans and runner beans. Visit www.haxnicks.co.uk

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Aug
16
2009

Sown In The Garden in August

Posted on August 16, 2009 | Leave a comment

In the greenhouse: Tomatoes are ripening by the day, huge and delicious Brandywine, the heavily-ribbed Costeluto de Fiorentino, medium-sized Saltspring (from the Heritage Seed Library, the organisation that preserves rare varieties) and Sweet Olive, a plum-shaped cherry tomato.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes

In the garden: Sadly, the outdoor tomato news is less positive; yet again, just as the plants were at their finest, the wretched blight struck with leaves dying back from their tips, stems going brown and finally the tomatoes turning an unpleasant olive-brown. Current thinking: greenhouse tomatoes only next year.

Outdoor Tomatoes

Outdoor Tomatoes

On the allotment: It’s runner bean glut time and we are eating them everyday. I don’t think they freeze very well so I might experiment with something I ate in France, many years ago. I was served a delicious puree and it took a while to identify it as runner beans. It will probably work best with older beans with more fibre and less water. If it is as delicious as I remember, it should help reduce the runner bean mountain – and take up less room in the freezer.

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