With a dress of blossoms and leaves of poetic dimensions, fire beans twine meter high into the sky. Their blazing fireworks of blossoms are followed by a tasty fruit load, which has acquired the nimbus of a culinary specialty as runner beans. Use field-tested answers to frequently asked questions to find out how the floral all-rounder can be cultivated professionally.

Runner beans are not only delicious, they are also a beautiful addition to any garden

Plant fire beans correctly

Fire beans that are already bought or grown on the windowsill are so sensitive to cold that the planting season begins in early/mid-May at the earliest. First install the required climbing aid in a sunny to partially shaded location. Then loosen the soil finely and dig small holes 30-40 cm apart. Enrich the excavation with compost and a little sand before planting the young runner beans. After the first watering, spread a 5-6 cm layer of mulch.
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care tips

With the following care program you set the course for a cultivation of runner beans that leaves nothing to be desired:

  • Repeatedly pile up freshly planted runner beans from a growth height of 20 cm
  • Keep the substrate and garden soil constantly moist, alternating between soft and normal water
  • Fertilize organically every 14 days from May until harvest
  • Alternatively water weekly with diluted nettle manure (ratio 1:10)
  • Only clean out faded flowers if no harvest is planned

In the bed, the tropical runner beans thrive as an annual, as they already give up at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. In pot culture you are free to risk overwintering. Clear the plants that have been cut off close to the ground into the darkened winter quarters with temperatures of 10-12 degrees Celsius in good time. Do not apply fertilizers and water infrequently.

Which location is suitable?

Runner beans prefer a sunny to semi-shady location, preferably protected from strong winds. In particular, look out for a location that has enough space for the installation of a trellis. In any good garden soil, the tropical climbers develop rapid growth and rich blooms. A humus-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 is advantageous. Please note a crop rotation of at least 3 years.

What soil does the plant need?

Runner beans achieve their floral optimum in a loamy-sandy, loose and humus-rich soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. The exotic beauties don’t like a strong nutrient-rich soil any more than a permanently wet location. If in doubt, mix in a few handfuls of sand in clayey soil. For pot culture, we recommend a peat-reduced, organic vegetable soil for carefree enjoyment of the aromatic legumes.

When is flowering time?

From June to September, runner beans give us a blaze of color with inflorescences up to 35 cm long. Now is the time for the pollinators to transform the opulent flower dress into a bountiful harvest of delicious runner beans. If you are only interested in the decorative value of this exotic climbing plant, cut off faded inflorescences promptly to make room for new buds.

Water fire beans

In the sunny location, runner beans evaporate a lot of moisture through the imposing foliage. Therefore, water regularly as soon as the surface of the bedding soil and substrate has dried. Ideally, use soft rainwater and normal tap water alternately so that excess lime does not accumulate in the soil or the pH value shoots up to undesirable levels.

Fertilize fire beans properly

In contrast to the pronounced need for watering, runner beans prove to be frugal in terms of their nutrient balance. If you are aiming to harvest the tasty legumes, we recommend organic fertilization with compost. Work mature garden compost lightly into the soil and water every 14 days from May until harvest. The specialist trade has organic liquid fertilizer ready for fire beans in tubs. Alternatively, starting in May, give nettle manure once a week, diluted with water at a ratio of 1:10.

hibernate

Given a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, runner beans thrive in beds in our latitudes as annual ornamental and useful plants. Cultivated in tubs, there are still prospects of overwintering. Cut the withered and harvested runner beans close to the ground and carry them to a frost-free winter quarters. At temperatures of 10-12 degrees Celsius, water from time to time so that the root ball does not dry out. Do not fertilize during dormancy. After 2-3 years the plant has formed a bulbous root system, similar to a dahlia. Take this out of the ground in autumn and keep it dry in sand or newspaper in a cool, dark cellar until next May.

Grow fire beans

Leave some runner beans on the plant in the fall to use the ripe seeds for propagation. Dried in an airy place, keep the seeds in an airtight, dark screw-top jar in a cool basement until next spring. At the beginning of April, start sowing according to these short instructions:

  • Rough up the thick, dried seeds with a file
  • Soak in lukewarm water for 12-24 hours
  • Plant 2-3 cm deep in pots with poor growing substrate and water
  • Keep constantly moist in the heatable room greenhouse at 20 degrees Celsius

Optionally, put a plastic hood over the potty and place it on the warm, partially shaded window sill. When germination begins, the cover has done its job and is removed. Care for the young runner beans with soft watering until mid-May. From a height of 10-12 cm, apply liquid fertilizer for vegetable plants diluted by half every 2 weeks.

Are runner beans poisonous?

Like all other types of beans, runner beans are not suitable for fresh consumption. Only heating to more than 75 degrees Celsius dissolves the contained toxins. Until then, humans and animals suffer symptoms of poisoning, such as nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea. Therefore, always grow runner beans out of the reach of children and pets. Since mere skin contact can trigger severe allergies, we recommend the use of gloves for all planting and care work.
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Beautiful varieties

  • Lady Di: A royal runner bean with red flowers and stringless beans; an ornamental and pleasure plant of the extra class
  • Hesita: With a height of 30 cm, the ideal runner beans for the balcony and terrace with two-tone flowers in red and white
  • Golden Sunshine: A visual highlight with red flowers over golden yellow foliage and delicious green legumes
  • Mage: The strain produces purple beans speckled with black, perfect for the runner bean salad
  • Bulgarian Snow Queen: Extravagant variety that draws attention to itself with white fruits and white seeds

Category:

Vegetable garden