It almost felt like I was intruding peeling back the compost just so I could snap this seedling as it lost a little of its coat as it just sprouted its first leaf.
The Phaseolus flowers are noted as being a favourite of the hummingbird and the runner bean noted for containing traces of the poisonous lectin, Phytohaemagglutinin, found in common beans.
The big problems I have suffered in the past with the Phaseolus coccineus [runner bean] have been from birds unearthing the seeds and running off with them and assuming I can get past that point and see the seed germinate – as you can see above left – it is snails and other varying pests that I must then deal with.
That said, I personally don’t like using chemical based products on any of my food crops and so in this case I’ll just have to hope that the plant can grow quicker than it can be eaten – it can by the way. The next step is to give them some support by way of canes or guiding wires.
Not to be confused with the broad bean, I’m possibly on the verge of pushing my luck with the Runner bean as regards publishing this post at this point of the season… but it’ll be here for next season and this is as they look in my garden now.
I did this video of how to sow seeds waaaaay back in June 2009. It just so happened at the time the seeds used were in fact runner beans. I have since gotten a haircut.