[clarkey95]

i want to grow runner beans next year and i am told to dig trenches and fill then with veg and garden waste to give the plants energy and nitrogen
i was wondering when do you start to dig the trenches and fill then because they will need time to rot down ?

many thanks

[DD.]

I'll leave the trench reply to those who do them, I just dig horse manure in, but beans don't need nitrogen - they are nitrogen fixers themselves.

[mand]

 :)Prep bed in autumn/winter if you havnt grown them before check your ph runners dont like acid soil. Happy digging

[mumofstig]

You can dig and fill the trench at any time up to when you plant your beans. The material in the trench doesn't have to have rotted down before you plant up.

You can even fill up with soaked cardboard and newspapers, if you run out of other waste to put in there.

[peterjf]

we dig out trench 2ft wide by 1 foot deep in winter fill with rotted manure then leave until march,

then we add more manure and cover with 6 inches of good soil ,

by this time the bean bed is about 9 inches above normal soil level ,

start your bean seeds off in  3 inch pots ,

subject to weather and growth ,

put the plants out , 

plant in raised bean bed about 6 inches ,

right upto 1st leaves ,

2 plants per 6 foot cane 

we grow blue lake and corbra , mmmmmmmmm

[viettaclark]

I'm wondering if it's ok to keep using the same bed every year for runners. It's really the only place for them.
Is there anything I need to do if I'm NOT rotating? (eg. I did a trench last year....do I re-do it? Will the nitrogen fixed in the soil be detrimental?)

[JayG]

Runner beans aren't really susceptible to any soil-borne diseases which could build up in the soil so it is a very common practice to grow them up a semi-permament frame year after year.

Dig the roots up after cropping and put them and the bines on the compost heap (chop the roots up a bit; they are quite tuberous and chunky!).

You can then start another trench to fill slowly or quickly depending on your preference; a sprinkling of general purpose fertiliser a week or so before sowing or planting out and Bob's your uncle!

[andy135]

Runner beans aren't really susceptible to any soil-borne diseases which could build up in the soil so it is a very common practice to grow them up a semi-permament frame year after year.

Would that also apply to french beans, Jay?

[madcat]

I hope so!  My french beans (climbers) grow next to my runners and get exactly the same trench treatment.  They thrive on it ... 

[Aunt Sally]

I don't bother with a trench but about a month before I'm going to plant them out I (meaning Worzel) dig a trench about 2 ft deep and fill it with lots of compost and well rotted manure. 

Compost and old manure don't contain much nitrogen but do contain lots of humus which holds water for the thirsty bean plants.  You can line the trench with cardboard or newspaper to help to hold water at the roots too.   Don't feed the beans with general purpose fertiliser as it contains too much nitrogen and will grow lots of lush leaves (which you don't need).  I feed the bean plants with tomato fertiliser to encourage flowering.

[rw3272]

Could you add fresh manure to the trench?  I keep guinea pigs on a hemp based litter.  If I was to add their bedding to the trench over winter, then leave a couple of months before planting would it work?  Guess that there is only one way to find out!

Rachael

[Aunt Sally]

That would be absolutely fine

[Totty]

This is the first year i have grown anything really, but, with some advice and good seed, my beans are really flourishing.

I was told beans like plenty of water and warm soil. Therefore filling a trench with a mixture of compost, grass clippings (plenty) and something called 'X6' manure has done them the world of good. the rotting down clippings are create a natural heat and when mixed with the compost and manure, holds the water too.

Seems to have worked a treat