Grow more

It’s easy to grow your own beans! With thanks to Grow It Yourself, here’s a starter guide.

Grab a grow box – an enclosed space for growing the beans indoors or to protect them outside during colder months.

Pick a space – choose somewhere sunny with drainage. Beans are a nitrogen-fixing crop, so they do not need much fertiliser.

Select the beans:

• Broad beans – Easy to grow, cope well in colder conditions and freeze well. Grow them outdoors. Plant them next in January.
• French beans – Easy to grow, tasty and super versatile. Grow them indoors or outdoors. Plant them next in March.
• Runner beans – Easy to grow, prolific and easy on the eye. Grow them indoors or outdoors. Plant them next in May.

Sow the beans – Most types of shell bean seeds are sown 2 to 3 inches (5-7.6 cm.) apart in rows spaced 2 to 3 feet (.6-.9 m.) wide. Remember beans do not tolerate frost so plan accordingly and then sow every four weeks until mid-July.

Care for the beans – make sure they are well-watered and weed by hand only, to avoid harming the bean.

Harvest the beans – Make sure to pick them as they appear.

Share and enjoy – check out our delicious bean recipes.