If you are looking for an easy vegetable to grow in your garden, beans are one of the best options. Many varieties of beans thrive in the UK climate, and they need little effort to maintain, no matter what garden setup you have. That said, if you want to get the most out of your bean crops, you’ll need to ensure they are cultivated correctly. Knowing what kind of beans to plant, where to plant them, what soil to use, and what time of year to grow them will help ensure a successful crop. Consider these tips for growing your own beans.
What Beans Grow Best in the UK?
Many varieties of beans are suitable to grow in the UK climate. However, some of the best kinds to grow include broad beans, runner beans and French beans. Although similar, there are key differences between these bean types. Runner beans have long, flat pods and generally have rough skin, while French beans are long and cylindrical and often have a softer texture compared to other varieties.
Broad beans come in large, lumpy green pods, with the beans within being flat and light green with a nutty flavour. Besides being one of the most common types of beans to grow in the UK, cooking broad beans is also very easy. Let’s look at each variety of bean and how best to cultivate them.
How to Cultivate Broad Beans
For the best results, you should plant your broad beans in autumn or spring, preferably when it is not too cold or wet outside. Plant them in an area with partial shade, exposing them to sunlight for at least four hours a day. Make sure the soil is not too dense and is both free-draining and rich in organic matter. You can support the quality of your soil with a small amount of mulch around each plant, which will also keep any weeds away.
Plant each bean at least 5cm deep in rows about 15-20cm apart, separating each row by 45-60cm. Water the soil thoroughly once planted, and make sure it remains moist throughout the growth of your beans. You can usually rely on the rain to keep the soil wet during this time, but if a dry spell occurs, you will need to water the soil more frequently. Harvest your beans around late spring or summer, and for best results, pick them when they are around 6-7cm in length.
How to Cultivate Runner Beans and French Beans
Both runner beans and French beans have a similar growing process. Runner beans should be planted between late spring and early summer when the risk of frost is at its lowest. French beans should be planted in spring, immediately after the frost has stopped forming on the ground. Both types of beans need plenty of sunlight, so choose to plant them in a warm area with at least six hours of sunlight per day. The soil should be free-draining and slightly acidic, with plenty of organic matter like compost or manure mixed in.
Place wooden supports of around 2.5m in length in the ground to allow the beans to climb up. Bamboo is a good material to use, and you should space each pole by 15-30cm. Place another set of poles in a row 45-60cm directly in front of or behind the first set, then bend them to make an A or X-frame. At the base of each pole, plant two beans of the same variety at a depth of at least 5cm. Make sure the soil remains moist and well-watered throughout the growing process. Harvest your runner beans around mid-summer, when the beans are around 15-20cm long. For French beans, harvest when they are around 10cm in length.
More Growing Hints & Tips
- 10 Great Gardening Tips & Ideas
- 10 Winter Tips for Allotment & Garden
- 3 Tool Tips – Keeping Your Tools Well & Saving Time
- 6 Propagating Tips
- Aphids – Natural Helpers & Organic Controls for Aphids
- Avoid Spreading Clubroot – Planting Early in Spring
- Avoiding Backache
- Beans on the Plot: Cultivation Tips and Tricks
- Birds Eating Strawberries | Caterpillars off Cabbages
- Carrot Growing Tips – Carrot Fly, Growing & Harvesting
- Cold Frames – Extending The Usefulness of a Cold Frame
- Controlling Insects & Mosquitoes in Water Butts
- Defeating the Slug – The Winter Campaign!
- Discouraging Badgers | Stop Badgers Destroying Your Plot
- Earwigs – Controlling & Preventing Damage
- Growing Courgettes on Poor or Sandy Soil – Organically
- Molehills & Turn Feathers into Fertiliser
- Providing Water for Drought Sensitive Plants
- Stop Lettuce Bolting | Runner Beans Another Crop
- Winter Tips: Kale, Cabbage & Broccoli
- How to Look After a Christmas Tree in the Garden
- Fruit Growing Tips for College Students
