[prakash_mib]

I read in one of alan titchmarsh's books.
he says cutting the top off and leaving the stem 4-6 inches after the harvest will give a re-growth by the end of season and will produce some BBs.
has anyone tried it?
I know some ladies here will say!!! "alan is always right" 

[sunshineband]

Well they are perennials, and grow massive roots, so I suppose it could work 

[gobs]

They do re-grow all right, some even if you do not want them to. The problem is: only do this if they do not have any diseases acquired during the first season.

[LilacSandy]

I cut some of mine down three weeks ago and have noticed that one is starting to flower again already.

Alan may be good but Christine Walkden can knock spots off most of them. 

[SUTTY1]

I've tried it last 3yrs with no luck. (different varietys) They will be lifted to make room  for more french beans this weekend.

[lancashiregardeninggal]

Well they are perennials, and grow massive roots, so I suppose it could work 

I didn't know that - I've never left them in long enough to find out   I may give it a go

[sunshineband]

Well they are perennials, and grow massive roots, so I suppose it could work 

I didn't know that - I've never left them in long enough to find out   I may give it a go

So are runner beans -- you can dig up tubers and keep them overwinter, kind of like you would with dahlias 

[lancashiregardeninggal]

Well they are perennials, and grow massive roots, so I suppose it could work 

I didn't know that - I've never left them in long enough to find out   I may give it a go

So are runner beans -- you can dig up tubers and keep them overwinter, kind of like you would with dahlias 

I thought you might be winding me up there - I just googled it - what I don't understand is, why I haven't read or heard this before.

[sunshineband]

Probably because they are so easy to grown from seed that most people choose that option 






I wouldn't B******t on here 

[Growster...]

Well they are perennials, and grow massive roots, so I suppose it could work 

I didn't know that - I've never left them in long enough to find out   I may give it a go

So are runner beans -- you can dig up tubers and keep them overwinter, kind of like you would with dahlias 

I'd forgotten that too KC!

There's another veg somewhere in the back of this grey ol' brain (not actually in it you understand), which has the same growth habit.

Mrs Growster always keeps a few chillis and gets them going again the following year, but it's not them I'm trying to recall...