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the longest runner bean ....

Last post 10-07-2009 10:36 PM by Roseann. 11 replies.

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  • 27/08/2007 08:13 PM
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    Hi there, This week we popped to the lottie to find our runner beans have really grown, we had 3 beans which were 16 inches long. Click here to see our [URL=http://lottieblogs.co.uk/aug4.aspx]Monster Runner beans[/URL] How are yours? do you have one to beat 16 inches? are yours small this year? or have all your plants diesn off without forming beans? we would like to know, pictures would also be great. Other news this week is swedes forming, pumpkins galore,straberry runners and continuing harvests. Regards Lottieblogs

  • 27/08/2007 09:54 PM
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    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
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    A couple of years ago i had a runner bean that was 17.5 inches, of course it was no good for eating and just for novelty value at the show. But you do need the right strain of seed to begin with

    digger Devil
  • 27/08/2007 11:42 PM
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    • Dai Dibber
    • Welsh Coast
    • 17 Aug 2007
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    Hello lottieblogs, I bet your runner beans were the variety called Enorma. They were developed by a wonderful Welsh gardener called Brython Stenner. His beans are known by exhibition runner bean growers as "The Stenner Bean." I grow for the pot and not for a cup so I am pleased that my Stenner beans this year all are over 12 inches long, and they taste delicious, with just a pat of butter and some black pepper. My daughter can't believe that I actually make a runner bean sandwich. Yum Yum!

  • 28/08/2007 09:56 AM
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    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
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    Stenner has been the number one for the showbench for many many years, I haven't seen anything taking the red cards, although Robinsons have bred a good one it has some more development to do yet. Ugh runner bean sandwiches sound gross but if you like them it must be okay. I don't eat many runner beans my young son does but the vast majority get shared between the horses and the goats.

    digger Devil
  • 05/09/2007 08:22 PM
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    • thurmo
    • 06 Jan 2007
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    hi Rufmeister just to let you know i won our local show cup for the longest runner bean 3 years in a row with beans of 21" 21 1/2" and23", no good to eat but you could shore a boat up with them. If I remember correctly I bought the seeds from Bernard Lavery who specializes in growing giant veg.

  • 18/09/2007 11:26 PM
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    i have grown enorma and longest has been 42cm so far! and edible living in SE scotland. warmly mark

  • 25/09/2007 05:00 PM
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    • Roseann
    • Dublin
    • 16 Feb 2005
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    Only the second time I have grown runner beans, they were very late getting going, I planted then out in June but it was August before they were ready for eating. They are great at the moment loads of nice sized beans, the variety is Wisley magic and I picked one 43cm (I think that is 17") on sunday. I think the wind and cold weather here at the moment will finish them off. Should I freeze some, is it worthwhile. I would like to save some for seed for next year . How should I go about that or is it too late for them to ripen on the plant.

    Roseann
  • 25/09/2007 06:17 PM
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    • Phot's-Moll
    • The sunny South coast.
    • 06 Jan 2007
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    Roseann to save seed, just leave a few of the biggest beans on the plant (you might want to tie string on them to remind you not to pick) then leave until they're brown and dry. I think there's still time. I took over my allotment in the winter. There were some dead runner bean plants. I collected the pods and used the beans to plant this year. They're fine to eat - just 'normal' runner beans. If you want to show, or hope for very long beans, you'd be better off buying the seeds.

    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.
  • 27/09/2007 10:36 PM
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    • Roseann
    • Dublin
    • 16 Feb 2005
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    Thanks for that Phots Moll, I dont need them to be long just the seed are expensive and as I have no other runner beans and my neighbours dont grow vegetables so no cross pollination, maybe they will still be Wisley Magic. They are delicious even raw, acutally nicer raw.

    Roseann
  • 28/09/2007 01:51 PM
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    Roseann Yes, its worth freezing them (particularly if you'll lose them to the weather otherwise). I wash 'em and slice 'em and then freeze them in a big bag so I can just remove what I need when I need them. Some people blanch them first.. QuietLurker

  • 28/09/2007 08:25 PM
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    • Phot's-Moll
    • The sunny South coast.
    • 06 Jan 2007
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    I don't freeze any veg, because I never seem to eat it, but I believe they do freeze well. I think blanching is supposed to help them keep longer and retain their colour?

    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.
  • 10/07/2009 10:36 PM
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    • Roseann
    • Dublin
    • 16 Feb 2005
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    Have not been here for ages but just found this thread, still 2 years later have the same runner beans which I have saved from the seed and grown each year, 2007, 2008 and now this year again. 

    Roseann