Bean French Climbing

They like to start off in a warmer soil so do not sow them earlier than mid April unless you warm the soil with cloches, alternatively start them in modules indoors. Help these climb by training them up canes either in a wigwam or a line. All French beans respond well to regular picking when the pods are 8-10cm long. This will encourage a long season which can last from late July to late September. Longer beans can be shelled and used as flageolets while towards the end of the season you can chose to dry the whole plant & shell the remaining dry beans (haricots) for use over the winter