Runner beans in pots?

Orange_King

I had mine in pots last year and they did ok, not as good as the ones in the ground. And as Noelle says, the ones in pots blew over often as the pot wasn't weighed down!

Hoping to try more this year - would these do OK in between onions or would it be too crowded for them?

WestonDave

There is a school of thought that onions and beans don't go well together - it probably won't hurt the onions but the beans reportedly don't like it.

http://www.gardenguides.com/410-good-amp-bad-companions-vegetables.html

Farway

I always grow mine in large pots [Wisley Magic], crop enough for me, but as pointed out, you do need a large heavy pot or they will blow over once they are cropping nad heavy with leaves

ERICS_MUM

Beans and peas like deep soil for their roots so use big pots. You could use rose fertiliser to feed them as you want to encourage flowers that will develop into the beans. Look out for slugs especially with young tender plants - little blighters can eat 10 times their body weight during the night :mad:

Once the beans appear you need to "harvest" everyday so they don't get too big and tough.

I like to grow dwarf french beans in pots or growing bags, I find them easier to manage than 6 or 7 foot tall runner bean plants with all their curly tendrils catching hold of everything !.

Good luck and enjoy - veg straight from the garden tastes amazing.

ERICS_MUM

This is my favourite garden seed and plant website. They also have an info section which you might find useful as a beginner. Be careful buying seeds and plants can get very addictive !:eek:

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/gardening-info



Linda xx

GreyQueen

I did this several years ago, using those black florists' buckets with holes punched it. However, the back yard where I had them turned out to be a windtrap and when they were up their bean poles two things happened; the blossoms were blown off before most of them had been fertilised and set baby beans, and plants blew over. You would need lots of watering, as others have said. Runner beans are highly sensitive to frost so you won't be looking at planting them outside for a few months. All the best of luck

nikkiuk

Thanks for all the help! I've written everything down in my little notebook and can't wait for warmer weather.

tori.k

i've only ever grown runners in a big pot never had a problem they are quite forgiving plants, i just make a wigwam of canes and run some garden string between the canes to give them something to hold, small bucket of water bunged in morning & evening if i remember and some tomato feed in and out once they flowered, once you start picking them, keep at it so they will keep producing they freeze really well,