When to plant
runner beans in the UK
Build a strong frame — they get seriously heavy. Pick every 2-3 days or they go stringy and the plant stops producing.
Work out your own dates
Starts from the recommended sow date for your area. Sowed on a different day, or planted out late? Adjust below and the harvest moves with it.
Using the UK-average last frost · 15 April · add your postcode to tune it
Growing journey
15 weeks from planting out to harvest · Start indoors 6 weeks before planting out
Get runner beans seeds
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What runner beans need
Sun. Deep rich soil. A tall, solid support frame.
Spacing
15cm between plants · 20cm between rows
Space evenly in rows. Thin seedlings early to avoid crowding.
Varieties worth growing
Scarlet Emperor
commonVivid scarlet flowers, heavy crops, and the most classic runner bean in the catalogue. Has been the backbone of British allotments since 1906. The flowers alone earn it a place in the garden — the beans are a bonus.
Runner beans with garlic butter
Slice on the diagonal, boil for three minutes until tender but still bright green. Drain, toss with garlic butter and a squeeze of lemon. The simple side that makes a roast dinner feel complete.
Painted Lady
rareA heritage variety from the 1830s with striking bi-coloured flowers — red and white on the same plant. Shorter than modern varieties and more decorative, it was originally grown as an ornamental before anyone thought to eat the beans. History on a wigwam.
Runner bean chutney
Slice the beans, cook with onions, vinegar, sugar, mustard, turmeric, and cornflour until thick and golden. Jar it up. An old-fashioned way to use a glut, and brilliant with cheese and cold meats.
White Lady
uncommonPure white flowers and stringless pods. Sets fruit in hot weather better than red-flowered varieties (bees can see white flowers more easily in bright sun), so it's the one to grow if your runner beans have ever refused to set pods.
Runner bean and tomato gratin
Slice the beans, layer with tomatoes and garlic in a dish, cover with breadcrumbs and parmesan, bake until golden and bubbling. A dish that uses the glut and feels like proper cooking.
Achievement
commonA heritage variety from 1906 that produces long, straight, stringless pods. The name is apt — growing a row of these feels like an achievement, and the flavour is sweeter and more tender than modern varieties. Sometimes old is gold.
Runner beans on toast
Slice finely, blanch until just tender, toss in butter with a crack of pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Pile onto hot buttered toast. The most underrated lunch in Britain.
Runner beansdrink heavily through summer — a good soak at the roots beats a daily sprinkle. How I water, and the lance I use →
When to sow runner beans
Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.
Where to buy runner beans seeds
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What you'll need for runner beans
The stuff beginners wish they'd bought sooner.
Standard canes are too short for climbers. You need 8ft minimum — they reach 2-3m and you'll bury 15cm in the soil.
For tying plants to canes and a hundred other jobs. Biodegradable, won't cut into stems.
Safety first — prevent eye injuries when bending over the plot. They also grip canes together at the wigwam top.
Alternative to a full cane wigwam. Drape over an A-frame — large mesh (12cm+) so you can pick through it.
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Get your exact dates
Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for runner beans.