The message
from (ken cohen) contains these words:

As a first-time gardener, I'm very pleased and proud that the
runner-bean seeds that I planted 10 weeks ago have become vigorous
leafy plants that are now producing flowers and pods. Any advice as
to when the pods are best harvested?

Pick them before they begin to harden and develop 'strings'. The bulges
made by the developing beans should not be too prominent. You'll find an
old pod lurking there overlooked soon enough. Just nibble it and you're
left with a mouthful of fibres - like most shop-bought beans.

To test, break a bean. If it snaps cleanly, it's OK. You'll know if it
doesn't!

And what can I expect as to the
next stage in these plants'
life-cycle?

Depends.

I usually let a few pods develop fully quite early in the year, and when
it is brown and begins to split, I take the beans and allow them to dry.
Naturally. These will be your next year's seed.

If you manage to catch them in time, dig up the roots before the first
frost and keep them in a plastic bucket in dry sand. (Though not having
sand last year, I used peat, and every root has grown)

Runner beans are perennials and as the roots get older, they produce
more vines. However, they are not hardy at all, so most people treat
them as annuals.

For next year:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
As there are no serious diseases of runner beans in this country, you
can prepare a trench full of well-rotted manure, garden compost, old
woollens, [7] leather shoes, [7] bonemeal, bonfire ash, etc. You'll be
surprised just how your vines will reward you!

[7] Usually obtainable free after a jumble sale

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