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Runner Bean Trench

herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
in Fruit & veg

Domestic issues meant Autumn/Winter a write off for gardening so I am now trying to play catch up. We have had so much rain (possibly contributing to my plethora of 'good ideas' as still stuck indoors a lot) I wondered if I could make it work for me?

Need to plant out runner beans before they take over the greenhouse and can't be disentangled. Ground is v wet as rain on clay is not good, also quite a high water table.

I have to clear my neighbours rockery plant each year from one of my sheltered bits, this year it has gone mad and is everywhere. I think it is a sedum (rubbish at flowering plants) possibly stonecrop? Anyway, if I turned it over (like turfs) in the bottom of the trench do you think it might mean I could plant the beans out without them getting waterlogged. Or would this stuff just reach for the sky and interfere with the beans?

Any other suggestions for keeping this trench wet but not soggy will be welcomed!

"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
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  • MarygoldMarygold Posts: 332

    Not sure about the rockery plant but try putting cardboard and shredded or scrunched up paper in the trench. It will soak up some moisture and then hold onto it when we get that long hot summer I keep hearing aboutimage.

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    Thank you Marygold, and roll on that summer! I usually dig my trench in Autumn and fill with shredded paper and loo roll middles + any green stuff I have like lily leaves and harvested veg tops. But that didn't happen........

    I was thinking 'green' and 'recycle' and since these wretched plants just go straight into the compost I was hoping to save the effort of shifting them and make the most use of them.

    Judging by the number of views and your single reply I can only suppose most people think I'm bonkers, probably quite right. Given that I am likely quite mad I think I am going to give it try anyway, with the current weather and my late start I don't think I have much to lose. Maybe I should have posted a picture of the potential green manure, perhaps I'll do that before I clear it.

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    Done! Sedum stuff buried but I took a picture of it for future reference.

    image

    image

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532

    If you cover the plants with other stuff it should be ok.I grow my runner beans in large containers they do very well.image

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    Thank you for your encouraging words Logan, veg this year has been uphill work and I've had to shift the Runner Beans as tomatoes were blighted last year. Wish I had enough space to leave ground fallow occasionally.

    I do stuff in pots as well but never tried Runner Beans, I like the flowers as a backdrop in the garden since I don't have many 'flowers' just low maintenance borders.

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

    Hi all

    preparing a trench for runners beans is quite popular and given the space can improve the yeild given from your plants.

    I have prepared a trench for mine with composted materials, shredded paper, egg shells and topped with manure and hope to get yet another huge crop in return this year.

    My seeds were planted in peat pots and were planted in the ground late May and are now half way up the canes as up in the North East cannot due to frosts plant any earlier

    Hope you get a good return as once they start giving off keep picking as they give off a huge crop and of course feed with comfrey tea

    Good luck and happy gardeningimageimageimageimage

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    Hi chris172, I am very jealous of your veg garden, so much space! I have to dig a trench as I garden on clay and it will take longer than my lifetime to get the soil draining well enough for a lot of the veg I grow.

    If I get it right I can have runner beans all through the winter (from the freezer obviously) so I'm crossing my fingers. Green manure doesn't have to be cereals does it? I'm hanging on to that thought!

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

    image

    Hi all

    just an update on the runner beans which are doing really well. Nothing nicer than eating raw young from the lottie they are sweet however always leave enough to store in the freezer for the winter lunches lush

    happy gardening as always

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328

    Chris, don't eat mature runner beans raw - the bean "seed" contains a toxin that inhibits enzyme production in the stomach.  (This is why we are instructed to boil kidney beans etc. for at least 10 minutes.)  Immature beans are fine though, before the seeds have developed - and they're lovely, as you say...  image

    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

    Hi all

    just to update I won't eat any matured runner beans advice taken, however I eat only runner beans 4'inch or less snacking at the lottie

    mature runner beans as advised are not good raw so make sure they are cooked or pickled to your taste

    happy gardening

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