[plum crumble]

Thanks chaps this is very helpful.
I've grown runners for years and have never dug a trench, so this year I'm going to do one.  I've got some nice stuff to put in the bottom, need to dig the area first though.
It'll be interesting to see what difference it makes.
I'm still debating though, what type of frame to use ....

Penny - ya gotta use Munty's!!!!! It's brilliant

[Starling]

the first year i never dug a trench .and hads a really bad attack of black fly,and they plants seemed to get a disease,last year i dug a trench, filled it with my veg peelings and fruit,and plenty of newspaper,and they grew well.
but remember not to use your spud peelings,
i will be digging a trench again this year ,i have been saving up my peelings and egg boxes in my kitchen compost bins.

This is probably a really silly question but why not my spud peelings? I have been saving all my veg peelings for my bean trench, I really don't want to go through and pick them out.

[bigben]

I have been told that it is possible, if you peel spuds thickly and leave sprouting eyes in the peeling, to grow spuds from peelings. If you dont bury them deep enough you could end up with spuds in with your beans. My mum tells me her father was "careful with his money" and used to plant spud peelings to grow his spuds from.

[Kristen]

I think Munty's is best for a static runner bean bed.

I prefer X-frame (rather than upside-down V) for Beans used in rotation - has similar benefit to Munty in that the beans hang down (on the outside) for picking, easier to erect IMHO

[plum crumble]

Kristen is right if you want to rotate. I use Munty Method, as I refill my trench each year, thus avoiding the need to rotate.
As has been said many times, get two gardeners together, and you'll get at least 3 opinions!  It's down to personal choice

[BostonInbred]

I also find that at this time of year, I have loads of material to compost (the old sprout leaves, leek tops, prunings from the garden), and even though I have 5 daleks I run out of space. 

I put all the partially rotted stuff from the top of the daleks in the trench, put the fully rotted stuff as a mulch around the plants that really need it, then start fresh with at least a couple of empty bins.

So apart from being good for the beans it makes space in the compost bins!

You need to switch to industrial composting. I have three bins 2m x 1m x 1m made up of pallets. In autumn one gets half a ton of horse poo and half a ton of sawdust, shredded paper, used compost and grass & hedge trimmings. One is a permanent kitchen waste bin and the last is last years composted poo being used.

[JayG]

There are arguments in favour of rotating runner beans, but not (as far as I am aware) involving the build-up of diseases, since luckily runner beans are not prone to soil-borne diseases.

Until last year I used to rotate my beans around the plot (mainly to try and find the perfect (!) spot for them), but last year built a "permanent" Munty frame out of angle iron and galvanised wire. Last winter the soil, already enriched by that year's added organic material was dug out to form a trench which I have been filling with paper/veg scraps etc. Soon it will be filled back in so hopefully the soil will become more bean-friendly over the years rather than less.

[plum crumble]

same as moi JayG. Bloke opposite my plot has had his bean trench and frame in the same place for 47 years!!! No probs!

[Starling]

Thanks BigBen