Composting Runner Beans ?

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Sleepingpopman

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Composting Runner Beans ?
« on: September 22, 2018, 09:43 »
 :) Hi Folks.
Well after a slow start my 6 runner bean plants have gone mad, loads of growth & beans, nobody left in the street to give some too & we've got at least 100 two portion bags in our freezers & there still going.
 My question is, What do I do with all the growth when they've finished? 
Can it all go in compost bin?  :unsure:  In past yeas I've chopped them up & put in our green wheelie bin & dug the roots in but last week Monty Don said they now say not to dig in the roots  ??? We only have 1 Darlic type compost bin as we only have a 3mtr x 3mtr veg plot at the back of our bungalow so tight for space.
Look forward to your replies as usual.  ;)
Keith.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2018, 21:51 by Sleepingpopman »

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lettice

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Re: Comopsting Runner Beans ?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2018, 10:05 »
Plenty of time yet before your runner beans stop producing.
Picking bucket loads daily now and normally pick all through October.

I always leave the plants to turn brown, as I save the beans in their pods.

So come mid November or so, I take out the poles carefully and cut about a foot above root level and place all the plant into the compost bin.
For the left roots, I pull them up carefully, not wanting to leave any roots in the ground and chop them up into smaller bits also placed in the compost bin. They rot quickly.

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JayG

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Re: Comopsting Runner Beans ?
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2018, 10:10 »
Didn't see GW so don't know why Monty suggested not digging in the roots, although I'm guessing it was because legume roots aren't the valuable source of nitrogen they were once thought to be.

Chop the roots and bines and compost the lot if there's room in your dalek - if you don't need the ground space yet you can just remove the supports and leave the whole lot in situ - it will shrink down considerably over winter and take up much less space in your bin.
Sow your seeds, plant your plants. What's the difference? A couple of weeks or more when answering possible queries!

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