Beans Butterbean

Full sun is the order of the day for beans but provide a bit of temporary shade cover in super-hot, dry, windy weather. As most beans are climbers (unless you go for the dwarf or “bush beans”), you need to think about that before you whack them in. They need support as they get up to about 2m high. A wire trellis, fence lines, frames or similar can be used to prop them up. Why not make a tee-pee, or an A-frame walkway to grow your beans along? They look awesome, the kids will love them and they’ll add some real height and interest to your patch.

Soil for beans should be rich, deep, pH neutral and organic. Compost is perfect for soil preparation. You could also use an organic, complete pelletised fertiliser at planting time. Mulching your bed is really important but ensure the mulch doesn’t touch the stems of the beans. Soil needs to be well-drained but note that beans don’t really like sandy soils very much. So improve your sandy soil with nicely aged compost.