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Runner Bean 'Polestar' is my favourite form of runner bean which is stringless - tasty and tender. Just one sowing of this will give you plenty of beans for weeks at a stretch, or do two - one early, one late - for picking summer and autumn. Delicious flowers too.
These are perfect planted on a teepee with your favourite scented sweet pea mix - as this will attract beneficial pollinators. See Sarah grow 'Polestar' with Lathyrus odoratus 'Almost Black' in our YouTube video, Growing and Eating Runner Bean Flowers.
| Variety: | Runner Bean 'Polestar' |
| Type: | Half-Hardy Annual | Site: | Easy to grow in a warm, sheltered place. Beans like organically-rich soil. |
| Sowing: | They are half-hardy annuals and will be killed by the frost if you sow outside before mid-May. Sow from mid-March under cover. Once the plants are at least 5cm tall, plant them out. You can also sow direct into the garden from May to July. |
| Final Thinning/Planting Distance: | Space seed or plants 15cm apart, in double rows 60cm apart. |
| Harvesting: | Crop in 14-16 weeks. Best picked little and often. Will keep producing until the first frosts. | Care tips: | Sow extra seeds at the end of the row for use as transplants. Get your frame in place before you plant. | Cooking Notes: | These freeze well. |
