David Hill wrote:
Well, you have taught me something. I had no idea you could plant runner
beans in hanging baskets.

As I said, it's not ideal, but it seems to be the only way of getting anything
for me this year. :-(

Good luck for the show

Ta. I made aronia-berry jam last night, but it seems to have turned a bit like
toffee. So far I have a pencil drawing and a 'unusual container' planting ready,
plus I /think/ I have 4 onions suitable (but not really prize-worthy). This is
going to be my first year or not being able to show courgettes. :-(

I would never plant runner beans in a basket.
I'd always go for French beans every time, and would use a water
retaining polymer in the compost to cut down on stress.

I have both runner + french, but the runners are the only ones currently showing
a crop. There are water-retaining crystals and sponge bits in the baskets, plus
the one that is performing best has a black plastic liner rather than a better
draining one. If I do this again next year, I'll think harder about the water
retention (given it's very very hot in our back garden, and these baskets are
tricky to water)