Here are my runner beans, which have been spectacular after a rather shaky start.
The first thing I did wrong was to plant them out too early in March - I got caught out by a late frost and it really set them back, I thought they were all dead. I planted two more seeds at each pole, and they developed fast and overtook the frosted ones. Also, SOMETHING started biting off the lower bean leaves and trying to drag them through the netting; several plants were killed like that. I assumed it was mice and searched for a remedy. Holly leaves, somebody said. That was an excellent idea, we have plenty and I put a good layer all across the bottom of my “beanery”. That stopped the damage!
I’m glad now that I planted so many - it was my own saved organic seed and we have had tons of beans and given away loads. The plot they are in is a very old, very deep bed of horse manure. It has simply become earth; easy to dig and holds the moisture so well that I hardly had to do any watering at all.
In the picture you can see the last of the potatoes which I had just dug - they’ve been good, too.
