Vegetable

• Crops in : 85 days
• Ideal for : Children

Description

A striking addition, equally at home in the flower and vegetable garden. Runner Bean Painted Lady has attractive red and white bicoloured flowers that are followed by a heavy crop of delicious, 23-30cm (9-12in) long beans.

Sowing Instructions

For an early start sow seeds from mid spring (April) in artificial heat at a temperature of 15-18C (60-65F) (propagator, greenhouse, warm room) in peat pots and plant out after last expected frost.

Outdoors do not sow until at least 10 days after last frost, 5cm (2in) deep. Sow two seeds every 23cm (9in) in rows 60cm (24in) apart. Sowing can normally be carried out in May and June. Remove weaker seedlings after germination. Make sure soil is warm and avoid it becoming baked hard.

Growing Instructions

Prefers to be grown in fertile, moist yet well drained soil which has had plenty of well rotted compost dug into it the previous autumn.

Aftercare

Water regularly and liquid feed every 14 days during mid-summer. A thick mulch will help conserve moisture.

Pick the beans regularly a little on the young side to ensure top quality and prolonged cropping. An excellent variety for early cropping under cloches.

Kitchen Notes

Cook Runner Beans for the minimum of time until tender as one-third of vitamins and some flavour is lost if overcooked. Runner Beans are a good source of Vitamin C, folate and iron and have a high fibre content.

Caution

Please note that beans must be cooked before eating to avoid discomfort.