"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

Vicky wrote

Judith in England wrote:
I always pull up the old roots and start again from seed in the next
year.

I have been reading that you can actually leave the roots to
over-winter.

Any experiences? Worth while?

I thought the entire* point of runner beans was to leave the roots in
so that the nitrogen-fixing nodules of the roots conditioner the soil
ready to make it your brassica* bed next year.

Yes that is true, although I'm not sure about the entire point, but
usually the frost then kills the roots so they don't sprout the next
spring. In most areas in most years you would need to lift the roots
and store them like dahlias in order to overwinter them. So then you
would have to do without the nitrogen boost.
Some of us, in more favourable areas, do find that if they don't
consign the roots to the compost bin they will sprout like weeds
(where you don't want them) the next year provided the winter is mild.

I wonder Bob, if we in more northen regions would be able to fleece them
and keep them alive that way? I like the idea very much of perennial(?)
runner beans. My old ones always die off, never had one regrow in the
brasses patch.

Baz