Chris and Steve's Weblog - City Chickens » runner beans

Runner Beans

Chris — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:04:05 +0000

Over the last few weeks I have sown a succession of runner beans. The White Lady were saved seeds from last year so they are familiar to me and I know they will give a good harvest and be good to eat when picked young and tender.

The Blue Lake I have bought this year and are a new variety to me.

I have sown some beautiful large black beans which I know I saved from last year but can’t remember the variety. I don’t even know if they are dwarf or tall runners.

Runner beans are a good source of vitamin C, folic acid and fibre.

Varieties Of Runner Beans

Chris — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:55:27 +0000

Here is a good image from the RHS site showing the variety of the humble runner bean.

Runner Bean Kelvedon Stringless & White Lady

Chris — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:48:12 +0000

The runner bean seeds went in today; one tray of Kelvedon Stringless and one of White Lady. All the seeds were saved from last years crop. Runner beans seem to be the easiest to collect seeds from and so after the first year don’t cost a bean as it were. Both varieties are prolific and you have to keep an eye on them at harvest time. They are best picked young and tender and they do freeze well so don’t let them grow too big, except of course those that you want to collect next years seed from.

White Lady – Generally reckoned to be one of the best available runner beans, White Lady produces heavy crops of tasty, smooth, stringless pods with white seeds. The white flowers are not prone to bird damage and the variety sets well, even during periods of hot weather making it ideal for late sowings. (info from alanromans.com)

Kelvedon Stringless – Disease resistant, early and high yielding, producing delicious stringless pods about 10″ long. Maturing 12-16 weeks from sowing. (info from Dobies)