Running on about my Runnerbeans (Runner Beans)

Member Name: quissue

Product:	Runner Beans
Date:	12/04/09 (151 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely fresh beans which you grow yourself

Disadvantages: slugs and bunnies and other pests that like them too

Runner beans the growing of.
Where to start! well I have planted them in the garden before now in a much better garden it has to be said with some terrific results. But last year after moving into my nice new home and garden I tried to do the same here. Not a hope! and I was totally disheartened. Not only did the beans not get a chance to grow, mainly due to slugs, bunnies and flying insects that just love the young shoots, the ground was a bit rubbish. OH they started to grow well enough indoors and when I transplanted to the ground they were to live in the first thing that happened was the rabbits took it on themselves to infest my lovely veggie patch. Then the slugs came along and devoured what was left.
Not impressed I went back to the drawing board so to speak.
So this year I filled my large pots with good quality compost that all manner of plants can grow in, John Innings multi purpose compost and manuer mix.
Then planted seeds as directed and watered them in. Placing them in my unused back bedroom and waited for the shoots to grow. My indoor greenhouse is doing fine so far and the shoots are approximately 3 to 4" high so far. I can taste the beans already and cannot wait to transfer them to a larger pot and pop them into the garden again but this time under my front room window where I can keep a watchful eye on them. Along with my peas also growing in pots and carrots broccoli and beetroots. I aim to win this time.
I have also planted a number of bulbs this year and did not hope for much of a display but was very happy so far with snowdrops daffs and tulips just coming into their own. Maybe bunnies don't like flowers?
I will nurture my beans and other veggies for a bit longer as the packet of Enorma Runner beans from B & Q diy range suggest planting out in June. I may be tempted to go a bit earlier if they start to get very tall.
You get loads of beans in the packet and well quite frankly I was a little unsure if they would grow. I paid £1.89 for the packet and will have enough to go for a later run of runners if I want to. Get it? run runners! Lol
I have more than enough bean seed to shake a stick at and wonder if I may be able to keep some in a dry container for next year?
So far I am well impressed with them, and as it suggests on the pack they are supposed to grow to great lengths. This I can only wait to find out about. I love fresh grown Runner beans but haven't tried this variety before so I can only let you know how they do and what they taste like at a later date but will as always keep you posted on their progress.
As I do not like chemical sprays as a pest control alternative I can only go with less intrusive ideas like the one about deepheat rubbed around the lip of the pots,( this gleaned from another dooyou reviewer named Claire stevens, her review gave me inspiration, so please read it) and saucers or old juice bottle tops filled with beer to deter slugs an old favorite of mine as the slug gets a happy demise. Or standing the pots on bark stones or straw sometimes helps. Slugs just do not like the rough texture. As for the Bunnies I am going to put a barrier of chicken wire around the pots to protect them a bit with luck.
I do not want to go with the farmers method. Shotguns at dawn or trapping the poor little things. Just doesn't seem nice. Poor bunnies only trying to find food after all. I am sure there will be plenty for everyone if they leave the young shoots alone long enough.

Summary: I do not like to use pest control chemicals so Organic is the only way forward