How early can I plant runner beans?

Mar 03, 2024 18:58:02

Last year my Sunset Runner beans barely survived the summer, then they grew very well and produced a few beans before frost. I want to plant them as early as possible this year. I can’t find any information on soil temperature needed for germination. Can they survive any frost? Are they hard to transplant?

I liked the flavor and texture of these beans much better than the usual bush beans.

Mar 03, 2024 19:11:54

My great grandfather said, take your pants down and sit those cheeks naked in the soil. If it feels cold, it's too early for runners. About 20 degrees C is the ideal soil temp.

My own experiments planting each week, show that the beans I planted 6 weeks early produced beans 2 weeks later than following the recommended time. They did survive some frost, but grew so much slower than those started in warmer soil.

I have poor luck transplanting runners, but they do sell starts in the nursery, so I'm guessing some people find it helpful.

But that's where I live. If you can, do your own experiments to see how it grows in your climate and soil. Where I am, the local seed company puts out planting charts for different regions, so I use that as a starting place or about 2 weeks before regular beans.