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?

"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?

Yes, we tried it one year. Lots and lots of sprouts but they didn't seem to
crop as well as fresh planted ones, seemed to lack vigour. We never repeated
the experiment.
In a very mild area it would be possible to leave them in the ground and let
them grow every year, say, up a fence, where they make a nice backdrop to a
flower border.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 05/07/2013 18:16, Bob Hobden 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?

Yes, we tried it one year. Lots and lots of sprouts but they didn't seem
to crop as well as fresh planted ones, seemed to lack vigour. We never
repeated the experiment.
In a very mild area it would be possible to leave them in the ground and
let them grow every year, say, up a fence, where they make a nice
backdrop to a flower border.

The old idea was to lift and pot some of the roots/tubers then start
them early in the season, they don't give much of a crop but they are
earlier than the seed raised plants, and in the days when "The Big
House" wanted anything early or out of season then every little helped.

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.

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.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 5 Jul 2013 23:28:53 GMT, 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.


I must admit - I do actually chop off the stem above the roots and leave them
in the ground until next year when I plant the new seedlings.

I had heard what you have said - but I have no idea whether it is true or not,
or whether I am actually doing the correct thing.

I am probably asking for trouble -but I have grown my runner beans in the same
place year after year. None of this crop rotation lark!!!

I am actually trying a couple of courgettes between the rows this year - as
that three foot gap seemed to be wasted!!

"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

In article , Baz wrote:
"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.

Better to treat them like dahlias. Like others, I don't find it
worth the effort.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

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


See my first post on this topic.

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.



If the entire reason for growing runner beans was to fix nitrogen then
you would grow something like clover or alfalfa instead, much less work
and more nitrogen fixed.

On 06/07/2013 11:42, Judith in England wrote:
On 5 Jul 2013 23:28:53 GMT, 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.


I must admit - I do actually chop off the stem above the roots and leave them
in the ground until next year when I plant the new seedlings.

I had heard what you have said - but I have no idea whether it is true or not,
or whether I am actually doing the correct thing.

I am probably asking for trouble -but I have grown my runner beans in the same
place year after year. None of this crop rotation lark!!!

I am actually trying a couple of courgettes between the rows this year - as
that three foot gap seemed to be wasted!!

When my beans are fully grown you would have a job getting between the
rows to harvest the courgettes!

On Sat, 06 Jul 2013 15:03:04 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

snip


When my beans are fully grown you would have a job getting between the
rows to harvest the courgettes!


I agree - I think it will be a case of hands reaching between the bean plants.

the courgettes are doing OK : first three flowers formed in last couple of
days.

David Hill wrote:
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.

If the entire reason for growing runner beans was to fix nitrogen then
you would grow something like clover or alfalfa instead, much less work
and more nitrogen fixed.

Well, ok, not the /entire/ point (hence the *). The point after the main
point, ie, eating the beans.

In article , wrote:
David Hill wrote:
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.

If the entire reason for growing runner beans was to fix nitrogen then
you would grow something like clover or alfalfa instead, much less work
and more nitrogen fixed.

Well, ok, not the /entire/ point (hence the *). The point after the main
point, ie, eating the beans.

Nah. It's for the pretty flowers :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 06/07/2013 11:42, Judith in England wrote:
On 5 Jul 2013 23:28:53 wrote:

Judith in 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.


I must admit - I do actually chop off the stem above the roots and leave them
in the ground until next year when I plant the new seedlings.

I had heard what you have said - but I have no idea whether it is true or not,
or whether I am actually doing the correct thing.

I am probably asking for trouble -but I have grown my runner beans in the same
place year after year. None of this crop rotation lark!!!


Judith, we did the same (ignorant bliss) for many years, but eventually
the plants got poorer and poorer. When I dug up the roots that final
year, they were *smoothered* in bean root aphids . Never got good
beans from that site again.



I am actually trying a couple of courgettes between the rows this year - as
that three foot gap seemed to be wasted!!


--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay