On 20/09/2014 16:59, Bob Hobden wrote:
"'Mike'" wrote ...

Our Runner Beans have been fantastic. A 5 ft run in our small raised
veg bed has so far produced 29lb 8oz and we are still picking. We
started picking on July 13th.

What other crop can we plant next year which will produce the same
yield? Space is at a premium because these days we only have a small
garden. 2 5ft x 4ft veg beds, the rest flowers and shrubs etc suitable
as an 'open garden'

Any suggestions?


French Beans would also do quite well or just plant runners again, I've
known allotment holders with a permanent bean frame, so they plant in
the same place each year. My father-in-law always planted runners around
his small garden up the fences for two reasons, eating them and the
plants covered the fences making a nice backdrop to the rest of the plants.
We love our Early Onward peas, freeze beautifully, so you could plant
and crop those very early where you are then put in the beans
(especially if you got them going in pots first).
As it's in a flower garden try some runners with pretty flowers,
Celebration for example. We often plant white flowered (White Lady,
Moonlight) and another like Celebration or Lady Di and plant a few of
one then a few of the other and so on down the row to get a striped look
along the poles.

I have a permanent position for my runners, they (up to press) always do
well. I have set 2 scaffolding poles in concrete at either end, this has
stopped them blowing over in exceptionally windy weather.