{"id":1559,"date":"2019-09-08T05:28:58","date_gmt":"2019-09-08T05:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/?p=1559"},"modified":"2019-10-07T02:15:35","modified_gmt":"2019-10-07T02:15:35","slug":"bean-scarlet-runner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/08\/bean-scarlet-runner\/","title":{"rendered":"Bean, Scarlet Runner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Phaseolus<\/em> <\/em>coccineus<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong>: This Central American bean has been grown\nas a crop for over 4000 years. It is a vigorous and easy to grow plant that is\nas ornamental as it is useful. It is the most commonly grown green bean in\nBritain, where it is more popular than bush or pole beans (which don\u2019t grow so\nwell in the cool climate). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop value<\/strong>: The scarlet runner bean can be eaten as green snap beans or as\nnutritious dry beans and tolerates cooler temperatures than most beans. It also\nproduces beautiful red (or white) flowers that are very popular with\nhummingbirds and bees. All of these things make this a very useful crop for\nthose aiming for more food self reliance. It isn\u2019t very popular in this\ncountry, simply because people don\u2019t realize its potential. However when people\nget to know it they tend to get\nvery enthusiastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutritional content<\/strong>: The beans are rich in protein, soluble\nfiber (which can lower blood cholesterol) and complex carbohydrates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate<\/strong>: Though a tropical plant, the scarlet runner is happy to grow in\ncooler conditions than most beans. It is very popular in the Pacific Northwest\nand Northern Europe, where other dry beans don\u2019t do so well. They produce a lot\nmore pods in cool weather and don\u2019t actually like very high temperatures. Above\n90\u02da<\/strong>F the flowers may drop off instead of setting pods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of growing<\/strong>: The scarlet runner bean really is one of the easiest beans (or\nany other plant for that matter) to grow. It\u2019s large seeds quickly produce a\nvigorous plant and it doesn\u2019t even need to be particularly warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About Scarlet Runner Bean<\/strong>

Seed facts<\/strong>
Germ temp: 60 (80) 85\u02daF
Germ time: 6 – 14 days
Seed viability: 4 years
Germination percentage: 75+
Weeks to grow transplants: 3 – 4

Planning facts<\/strong>
Perennial
Hardiness: Half hardy
Growing temp: 50 (60 – 70) 80\u02daF 
Plants per person: 10
Plants per sq ft: 3 – 4
Transplants:
Start: on last frost date
Plant out: 3 – 4 wks after last frost
Direct sow: 2 – 4 wks after last frost
Days to harvest: 70 – 100 days
Plant height: 4 – 10 ft
Plant diameter: 12\u02dd

Harvest facts<\/strong>
Harvest period: 4 – 8 wks
Yield per plant: 1 – 2 lb
Yield per sq ft: 6 lb  
<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Soil<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

pH 6.0 \u2011 7.5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This plant prefers a well-drained, moisture retentive loam, with\nlots of organic matter. It can be grown in light soils if you add plenty of\ncompost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil preparation<\/strong>: Like most beans it doesn\u2019t need a lot of nitrogen, but it should\nhave good quantities of potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients. Dig 2\u02dd of\ncompost into the top 10\u02dd of soil. You might also add a source of phosphorus,\nsuch as colloidal phosphate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where<\/strong>: Though this species is a perennial in the tropics, it is\nusually grown as an annual in northern climates, as it can\u2019t survive cold\nwinters. In cool climates it should be planted in a warm sheltered place (it is\na tall sprawling plant and will suffer in windy locations). In hotter climates\nit may do better with light shade during the hottest part of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A trellis covered in these plants will\neventually turn into a solid wall of dense vegetation that casts a lot of\nshade. Obviously you should only put it where this won\u2019t be a problem for other\nplants. It makes a good temporary screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When<\/strong>: The seed\nwon\u2019t germinate in cold soil (below 60\u02daF), so don\u2019t plant out until 2\n– 4 weeks after the last frost date. If you are in a hurry you can start them inside\non the last frost date (the seedlings grow rapidly with all of the food in that\nbig seed)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support<\/strong>: I already talked about\nvarious support structures for pole beans in Beans, Bush and Pole<\/strong> and the same structures can be used here.\nThe only difference is that the structure may have to be taller and stronger,\nto cope with the larger vines. Scarlet runner beans\nare very vigorous climbers and a mass of plants can grow tall and heavy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its best to install the supports before you plant the seeds. Don\u2019t\nwait until the plants are growing (for obvious reasons – there is a danger of\ndamaging the young plants). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\ncovered in flowering vines the support structure becomes a thing of beauty and\nyou should take advantage of its ornamental value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few plants can be grown up tall existing plants, to add\nproductivity and beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I read somewhere that scarlet runner beans climb counterclockwise,\nwhereas other beans climb clockwise. I don\u2019t know whether this has any great\nsignificance, or whether it is even true for that matter (you shouldn\u2019t believe\neverything you read in books).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inoculation<\/strong>: If you haven\u2019t grown this crop before, it will fix more nitrogen\nif inoculated with the appropriate nitrogen-fixing bacteria. See Beans<\/strong> for how to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transplants<\/strong>: Scarlet runner bean is sometimes started indoors in cell packs\nor soil blocks, to get an early start and to minimize bird and rodent damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seeds \ngerminate easily and grow rapidly in warm conditions, so often only need\n3 weeks before they are ready to go outside. These should be started on the\nlast frost date and planted out 3 – 4 weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Direct\nsowing<\/strong>: These plants\ndon\u2019t like cold weather and are not started outdoors until the soil has warmed\nup, 2 – 4 weeks after the last frost. Planted 2\u02dd deep, the large seeds\ngerminate readily and quickly grow into vigorous seedlings. It is a good idea\nto plant a few extra seeds at the end of a row, to fill in any gaps where seeds\ndon\u2019t germinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spacing<\/strong>: These tall plants are usually grown in rows because it is easier\nto erect a support structure for them. They can also be planted in a circle (6\u02dd\napart) to grow up a teepee of poles. Sow the seeds 2\u02dd deep and 6 – 9\u02dd apart.\nDouble rows (12\u02dd apart) also work well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watering<\/strong>: For best production the plants need constant moisture. This is\nespecially important when the pods are forming and in hot weather. Don\u2019t allow\nthe soil to dry out at these times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilization<\/strong>: These plants put on a lot of growth in a short time and will\nbenefit from an occasional feed of compost tea or liquid kelp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mulch<\/strong>: This is helpful to keep the soil evenly moist and keep weeds\ndown (which is important while they are young). Don\u2019t apply it until the soil\nhas warmed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pruning<\/strong>: Some gardeners pinch out the tops of the plants when they get to\nthe top of their supports. This is said to encourage the production of new side\nshoots lower down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pests<\/strong>: I have never had any problems when I have grown this crop, but\nit can be attacked by any of the pests that afflict pole beans. Gophers and\ngroundhogs love the thick, nutritious roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvest<\/strong>: Begin harvesting the pods for baby green beans when they are a\nfew inches long. You can also wait to gather until they reach full size, but\nbefore the seeds start to swell inside. As with pole beans, you need to harvest\nregularly to keep them producing well, so go over the plants every 2 – 3 days.\nIf you find any old pods that you previously overlooked, remove them, as they\ncan slow down flowering and pod production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The immature full sized beans can be used like shell beans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want dry beans just let the pod develop fully and turn\ncrisp and brown on the plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage<\/strong>: Ideally the pods should be\npicked in the cool of morning or evening. You can store them in a plastic bag\nin the fridge, for a week or so (or until you have enough for a meal). For\nlonger term storage freezing works best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seed saving<\/strong>: This is pretty much the same\nas with other beans. The flowers are very attractive to bees and hummingbirds\nand the former are the main pollinators. The seeds can also self-pollinate, but\nthey still need to be visited by insects to trip them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of their popularity with bees it is best to have only one\nvariety flowering at a time within a half-mile. This essentially means only\nhaving one variety in your garden in a season, because they will keep flowering\nuntil frost cuts them down. Of course if you don\u2019t care whether they cross you\ncan have more than one. Have a red and a white flowered variety and you may see\ninteresting differences in their offspring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unusual growing ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ornamental<\/strong>: In this country these attractive vines are commonly grown purely\nas ornamentals. Often by people who don\u2019t even realize that they are edible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No support<\/strong>: This crop is occasionally grown without support, being allowed\nto sprawl and run along the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perennial roots<\/strong>: In mild winter areas the roots may survive the winter and sprout\nanew the following spring (then again they might not – I haven\u2019t found them to\nbe very reliable). In a suitably tropical climate they can grow for years and\nbecome a useful perennial crop (they were once commonly known as seven year\nbeans). In temperate areas they aren\u2019t usually worth growing as a crop for a\nsecond year, as the plants are so easy to grow from seed and so productive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are\nsometimes kept going as ornamentals for more than one year. Some cold climate\ngardeners dig the roots and store them like dahlias over the winter, for\nreplanting the following spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varieties<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most varieties have red flowers, but some have white, red and\nwhite, or even pink ones. The white types are considered to have the best\nflavored dry beans. In this country not many improved edible cultivars are\navailable, though more are now appearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scarlet Emperor (red flowers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Painted Lady (red and white flowers) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunset (pink flowers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacks Runner (white flowers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitchen use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This versatile food plant has quite a variety of uses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In England the immature pods are very widely used as green beans\nand many people say their flavor is superior to snap beans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Older pods can be good too, but you have to cut off the strings on\neach side with a knife (they are so big this isn\u2019t difficult). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dry beans are good when cooked like pinto beans. The white\ntypes are a classic\ningredient in Greek cooking and are known as gigantes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flowers are edible too and are often used to decorate salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gigantes<\/strong>

1 lb beans (soaked overnight)
\u00bc cup olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts water
2 cups chopped tomatoes
8 tbsp tomato paste
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp fresh Greek oregano
2 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp red pepper
Black pepper
Salt  

Saut\u00e9 the onions and garlic in the olive oil for 5 minutes, then add the
water, beans, tomatoes herb and red pepper and bring to a boil. Then
simmer until the beans are tender (don\u2019t overcook or they go mushy). The length of time this takes will depend upon the beans, but start checking
them after 30 minutes.   <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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