The right way to develop French beans

French beans are one of many best veg to develop from seed and produce a prolific crop in a comparatively small area. Whether or not you select climbing varieties so as to add vertical curiosity to cottage gardens or dwarf varieties for containers, this decorative vegetable is a flexible selection. Right here, skilled allotment grower Lee Senior shares his sensible recommendation on efficiently rising French beans. 

Need to give it a go? Browse our full vary of French bean seeds.

How to decide on the very best French bean varieties to develop 

There are two distinct sorts of French bean; the dwarf French bean and the climbing French bean. Each sorts are available an array of colors together with, inexperienced, yellow and purple. Climbing French beans are somewhat just like runner beans of their behavior, although they’re much less vigorous. In good rising situations they attain heights of round 6ft (180cm), making them ideally suited for space-saving places like partitions, trellis and arbours. Dwarf French beans, then again, are very completely different in behavior. Low rising, they attain a peak of round 30cm making them a sensible choice for containers and even windowboxes. Listed here are a few of my favourites:

• Strive the purple-podded, stringless Dwarf French Bean ‘Purple Queen’ for one thing dependable and flavoursome. The beans flip inexperienced if boiled, however retain some color if steamed. 
• One other selection that I charge extremely is Dwarf French Bean ‘Compass’. This superfine bean usually types a part of the ‘most interesting’ vary in supermarkets. The flavour is excellent and for those who may solely develop one dwarf sort, this might be it! 
• Climbing French Bean ‘Blue Lake’ is a conventional, tasty, dependable cropper. Its stringless pods are additionally nice for drying and utilizing over winter. Regardless of its identify it’s truly a white-seeded bean and the favorite of many allotment holders. 
• The green-podded Climbing French Bean ‘Cobra’ is a tasty, heavy-cropping selection that additionally has an extended cropping season. 
• For one thing somewhat completely different, the yellow-podded Climbing French Bean ‘Sunshine’ suits the invoice properly. This round-seeded selection is placing to have a look at, pleasantly candy tasting and its distinctive golden pods are certain to be a speaking level!

The right way to sow French bean seeds 

French bean seeds take a mean of 10-14 days to germinate, and require a temperature of 15- 20C (60-68F). I make my first sowing of the yr on the finish of March in an unheated greenhouse, or a heated propagator if the climate is unseasonably chilly. I by no means sow French bean seeds earlier than this, as there’s nothing to be gained until you’re rising them to maturity in a polytunnel. You want to have the ability to assure frost-free situations each outside and underneath glass, because the beans are vulnerable to chilly. 

• In my greenhouse, I sow the seeds in pots of multipurpose compost at a depth of 5cm (2 inches). 
• Alternatively, deep seed trays or root trainers are good too. 
• Give the compost a superb watering however then preserve it solely evenly moist till progress seems. 
• No particular situations are wanted, however bean seeds battle to germinate in temperatures beneath 10C (50F).
• I make one additional greenhouse sowing on the finish of April. After that, direct sowing outside is the best way to go.
• Supplied the soil is heat sufficient, make successional sowings outside of their everlasting rising positions from mid-Could by means of to mid-July. Add a cane subsequent to every seed for climbers. Area the seeds at 20cm aside and also you received’t must transplant them. 

When and the place to plant out French beans

For climbing French beans, all the time attempt to decide on a non-windy web site the place doable. This reduces the danger of the vegetation being desiccated by winds or blown over. As dwarf French beans develop very near the bottom, they’re far much less susceptible to wind harm. 

Each sorts demand a sunny place in well-drained soil that has ideally been manured for a earlier crop. Alternatively, dig leaf mould or well-rotted backyard compost into the soil to assist retain moisture.

Planting the beans outdoors of their rising positions ought to solely be accomplished when all threat of frost has handed. For a lot of the UK, that is across the finish of Could. Hardening off is important for any vegetation which were rising underneath cowl to mitigate the shock of the drop in temperature that out of doors situations deliver. Vegetation which are subjected to chilly soil and chilly temperatures will battle to ascertain and are prone to failing. 

Area your vegetation 20cm (8inch) aside and permit 60cm (2ft) between rows. They are often grown in double rows if required. Climbing varieties will be grown up a wigwam, or trellis and even single canes if area is tight. I’ve usually used dwarf varieties to haphazardly refill any spare gaps on my plot, they usually’ve all the time accomplished effectively.

The right way to take care of French beans

French beans are simple to develop and usually are not very fussy. They don’t succumb to many pests, though slugs can by no means be discounted, particularly if the bottom is moist at planting out time. Aphids can strike if the plant is underneath stress however, in my expertise, that is very uncommon.

French beans want heat temperatures to develop to their full potential. Because of this they’re primarily a good climate, mid-summer crop. They’ll take some time to get established after transplanting to their remaining positions, significantly if the soil and air temperatures are on the chilly facet. Use fleece and cloches the place required. The beans will sit and sulk if the soil is simply too chilly. 

Each climbing and dwarf French beans are fairly quick growers through the heat days of summer season in the event that they’re pleased the place they’re rising. The typical time from seed sowing to cropping is a powerful 9-12 weeks, relying on the variability. Water effectively in sizzling dry climate, to help flower setting and enhance crop yield.

The right way to harvest and retailer French beans

French beans are reliably prolific croppers from mid-July to early October. Common selecting will guarantee an extended harvesting interval for climbing and dwarf varieties. Each have succulent pods which are tender and scrumptious to eat, and solely take a couple of minutes to cook dinner. 

The pods are simply faraway from the plant utilizing the finger and thumb pinching technique, or they are often reduce by secateurs or scissors. There’s no must shell them if consuming entire, however they are often topped and tailed and reduce into sections as required. Harvested beans will final a number of days within the fridge in the event that they’re saved in a polythene bag. French beans ought to by no means be eaten uncooked. When you have a glut, they are often blanched after which frozen to be used through the darker months. 

Alternatively, some varieties present a superb crop of beans that may be dried (to make haricot beans) to be used in stews, soups or casseroles over winter. Merely enable the pods to show brown and mature on the plant earlier than shelling the beans. Then depart the beans to dry completely earlier than storing them in a cool, darkish, dry place. If you wish to develop beans particularly for drying, climbing French Bean ‘Blue Lake’ is an efficient selection, in addition to the placing crimson dwarf French Bean ‘Borlotto Firetongue’. These mottled crimson beans look spectacular and kids will probably be fascinated by them.

We hope we’ve impressed you to attempt rising your personal French beans from seed. Discover extra of Lee’s sensible, hands-on, vegetable rising recommendation over at his month-to-month allotment pages. 

Lead picture: Climbing French Bean ‘Cobra’ seeds from Suttons