Purple Teepee is both delicious and striking, with deep purple pods that really stand out. It’s also a great pick for stretching your harvest into early autumn — you can sow from mid-April (with a bit of protection) right through to early August, and enjoy picking beans right up to the first frosts. The pods grow neatly at the top of the plant, making harvesting quick and easy. A real beauty that’s practical too!
SOW: in pots inside or in a greenhouse (we always start ours in pots) but you can sow them in situ. However tempting, don’t start to sow them earlier than mid-April, unless you warm the soil with cloches, as germination is poor in cold soil. French beans can also be sown in May to July in the open thus you can extend your harvest season by staggering your sowing over a month or two.
GROW: plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed.
ENJOY: pick young and cook whole or sliced, regular picking helps them crop for longer. You can leave the pods at the end of the season for drying; they are super in winter casseroles. French beans freeze well.
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