How to grow Bean, Scarlet Runner?
- Latin Family: Fabaceae
- Latin Genus: Phaseolus
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Annual
The Scarlet Runner Bean is a vigorous and easy to grow crop that is as ornamental as it is useful. It's the most commonly grown green bean in Britain, where it is much more popular than the snap beans. You can grow these beans as dry beans, or snap beans.
Videos
Bean, Scarlet Runner History
This Central American bean has been grown as a crop for over 4,000 years.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 6.0 - 7.5
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.5 - 7.0
The Scarlet Runner Bean prefers a light, well-drained [loam], with lots of [organic matter]. It doesn't need a lot of nitrogen, but it should have good quantities of potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients.
How to care for Bean, Scarlet Runner?
These vigorous beans require very little attention once established. Just give them something to climb on.
Water
Like most beans they need constant moisture for best growth.
Fertilizer
Low nitrogen. High potassium. High phosphorus. This plant is a [nitrogen fixer], of course, so may actually improve the soil.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 3 - 5 Years
Germination Percentage: 75.0
Saving seed is pretty straightforward, just leave the pods on the vine until they mature and the seeds are dry. The flowers are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds, or they can self-pollinate (but they still need to be visited by insects to trip them). It's best to have only one variety flowering at a time within a half-mile.
Be aware that some viruses may be transmitted through the seed. Try not to gather seeds from diseased plants.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Full sun.
Conditions:Cool, Warm
Season:Long Season
Storage
To keep dry beans, store in an airtight container in your pantry or cabinet.
Storage Req: Freezer
Storage Temp: 60-70°F
Storage Length: 1-360 days
Store the pods in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 7 days. For longer term storage freezing works best.
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-7 days
For longer term storage freezing works best.
Storage Req: Freezer
Storage Temp: 32°F
Storage Length: 1-360 days
Problems
Bean, Scarlet Runner Types
- Scarlet Runner
In the U.S., the Scarlet Runner Bean is most often grown as an ornamental, and as a result, there aren't many improved edible cultivars available. Fortunately with the increasing interest in heirlooms and unusual edibles more are now appearing.
These plants are quite ornamental with red, white, red and white, or even pink flowers.
Pests
- Aphids
- Blister Beetle
- Bean Weevil
- Deer
- Gophers
- Groundhog
- Leafhoppers
- Leafminers
- Mexican Bean Beetle
- Nematodes
- Rabbits
- Slugs and snails
- Armyworms
- Cucumber Beetle
- Flea Beetle
- June Beetle
- Mealybug
- Tarnished Plant Bug
- Whiteflies
- Wireworm
Diseases
- Anthracnose
- Bacterial Wilt
- Curly Top
- Bacterial Blight
- Halo Blight
- Rust
- Bean Mosaic Virus (BCMV)
- Fusarium Wilt
- Downy Mildew
- Powdery Mildew
