In article ,
David Rance wrote:

On Tue, 29 Sep 2009 Hugh Jampton wrote:

My neighbour (new to veg growing) tells me that an *expert* in a garden
centre told him that he should leave the roots of his runner beans in the
ground at the end of the season and they will grow again next year up the
same canes - he won't have to plant new ones.

Sounds like he's been talking to a know-it-all! In theory it could work
but our winters are just not mild enough to make it reliable. I've
never managed to make it happen.

Actually, having thought about it overnight, I *do* remember that, a
year or two ago, I nearly had some success in this direction.

I potted up several bean roots and overwintered them in my conservatory.
In the spring one of them produced a new shoot but it wasn't all that
strong. However when it was several inches long I planted it out again
and what happened? The slugs ate it!

Even if it had survived I don't think it would have been any earlier and
certainly it didn't look as strong as a seedling would have done.

I did it successfully with one that overwintered outside (I had missed
it when I came to dig them up). It grew vigorously, with more and
weaker stems, and cropped perfectly well. But it was nearly a
fortnight later than the ones grown from seed - which came from the
same packet!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.