I've been growing them for years - no problems.

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.

I've suggested that he's misheard what he's been told and probably he's
just been told to leave the roots in the ground. But *no* - he insists that
what he's told me is correct !

Can't be so - can it ? (not that I'd ever dream of doing it)

TIA.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

On Sep 29, 8:30*pm, Hugh Jampton wrote:
I've been growing them for years - no problems.

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.

I've suggested that he's misheard what he's been told and probably he's
just been told to leave the roots in the ground. But *no* - he insists that
what he's told me is correct !

Can't be so - can it ? *(not that I'd ever dream of doing it)


The theory is that you cut them down at soil level and they return the
nitrogen to the soil.

Like most things, I tried it once and a few of them regrew - but
don't put the contents of your child's moneybox on it, because it
might just have bean some dried seeds that fell on the ground nearby.

Hugh Jampton wrote:
I've been growing them for years - no problems.

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.

I've suggested that he's misheard what he's been told and probably he's
just been told to leave the roots in the ground. But *no* - he insists that
what he's told me is correct !

Can't be so - can it ? (not that I'd ever dream of doing it)

TIA.

I didn't cut mine off until Winter last year and left the roots in. They
got rotorvated back into the ground. Despite having a really hard Winter
I was surprised that a few of the roots had survived the Winter and came
back up again in May, along with lots of self set runner beans from
seeds that had been shed onto the ground! I moved the volunteers - they
helped to fill the odd gap in my runner bean patch this year. I think
they could probably only generally be kept year to year in frost free
climates; the majority of mine died over Winter, there were only a few
survivors.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

"Hugh Jampton" wrote in message
...
I've been growing them for years - no problems.

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.

I've suggested that he's misheard what he's been told and probably he's
just been told to leave the roots in the ground. But *no* - he insists
that
what he's told me is correct !

Can't be so - can it ? (not that I'd ever dream of doing it)

TIA.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton


Someone else reported this a couple of weeks or so ago

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

On Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:48:30 +0100, 'Mike' wrote:

Someone else reported this a couple of weeks or so ago

I must have missed that :-(

What was the thread name Mike ? I'll check it out - thanks.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

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. As Tony said, the reason for leaving them in
is so that they can return nitrogen to the soil.

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK
http://rance.org.uk

In article ,
moghouse wrote:
On Sep 29, 8:30=A0pm, 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.

I've suggested that he's misheard what he's been told and probably he's
just been told to leave the roots in the ground. But *no* - he insists
that what he's told me is correct !

Can't be so - can it ? =A0(not that I'd ever dream of doing it)

The theory is that you cut them down at soil level and they return the
nitrogen to the soil.

That's one theory. It's right, too.

Like most things, I tried it once and a few of them regrew - but
don't put the contents of your child's moneybox on it, because it
might just have bean some dried seeds that fell on the ground nearby.

That happens, but even I (in cold Cambridge) have had runner beans
regrow from roots that overwintered. In their native climes, they
are evergreen perennials; in the UK, they are normally grown as
annuals; but they will regrow from roots, in a herbaceous fashion,
provided that the the winter is not too hard.

But don't bet on it, because it is reliable only in places like the
Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and so on.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

You are right Mike. It was Bob Hobden. They are a perennial plant, ands if treated like dahlia tubers over winter they should grow again next year probably producing an earlier crop. Might be worth a try.
Bigal

On Tue, 29 Sep 2009 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.

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK
http://rance.org.uk

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.

It is possible to leave the roots of runner beans in the ground untill the
following year,the problem is, that ,
1 they will not crop so heavy,and will get less and less each year.
2 depends on weather, heavy frosts will kill the roots in the ground, as
wil a lot of rain, rot them,its a lazy way of gardening,some people lift the
roots like Dahlia roots ,store them in a dry shed then plant out in a trench
with plenty of farmyard manure, not to deeply dug!!I have found to get the
best Runner Beans,(And I Show)is to trench in farmyard manure/kitchen waste
and newspaper,in November, wait untill 1st last week in May scoop out a
shallow hole at the end of the trench ,broadcast the bean seed in, cover
with soil, leave untill they are 4 inches above ground then transplant into
the trench leaving an inch of trench uncovered to hold water, in the dry
weather!!!

url:http://myreader.co.uk/msg/134451300.aspx

It is possible to leave the roots of runner beans in the ground untill the
following year,the problem is, that ,
1 they will not crop so heavy,and will get less and less each year.
2 depends on weather, heavy frosts will kill the roots in the ground, as
wil a lot of rain, rot them,its a lazy way of gardening,some people lift the
roots like Dahlia roots ,store them in a dry shed then plant out in a trench
with plenty of farmyard manure, not to deeply dug!!I have found to get the
best Runner Beans,(And I Show)is to trench in farmyard manure/kitchen waste
and newspaper,in November, wait untill 1st last week in May scoop out a
shallow hole at the end of the trench ,broadcast the bean seed in, cover
with soil, leave untill they are 4 inches above ground then transplant into
the trench leaving an inch of trench uncovered to hold water, in the dry
weather!!!

url:http://myreader.co.uk/msg/134451300.aspx

Thanks for the replies - very interesting.

Perhaps just about possible then, but not the best way to grow runner beans
me thinks :-)
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

On Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:30:34 +0100, Hugh Jampton
wrote:

I've been growing them for years - no problems.

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.

I've suggested that he's misheard what he's been told and probably he's
just been told to leave the roots in the ground. But *no* - he insists that
what he's told me is correct !

Can't be so - can it ? (not that I'd ever dream of doing it)

TIA.


If you look closely at bean or pea roots you will see tiny nitrogen
nodules... so cutting the tops off leaves the nitrogen there to be
absorted directly into the soil.
--
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