Topic: Pinching the tops off runner beans!!??

[Stan0406]

Rather dumb question - I think the answer is no, but being a newbie.....
My runner beans have groing very nicely (inside), but are getting rather tall-(which I know is a good thing).  I will be planting out in the next week or two, but  ???in the meantime,  do I have to pinch any parts off to make them stronger.  I am thinking along the lines of tomatoes, -pinching the side shoots out -  do you need to do the same with runner beans.

[Mrs Ava]

You don't have to.  Runner beans romp away and do their own thing quite happily.  However, I have had slugs (GGRR) eat the growing tip out, but so long as there were still leaves below the bit that was munched, the runner just branched out and continued to grow.

Just by the by, mine are already planted out.  Dangerously early - altho May 1st is traditionally the day on our site to plant your runner seeds and I noticed most have started to germinate - but mine were trying to break free of the greenhouse, so out they went!

[supersprout]

You don't have to. 

The stems will thicken up as the plants mature. But you can pinch out the tops e.g. if they reach the top of the canes, no problem.

Last year I grew runners as dwarf beans (no canes :() by pinching out the tops and any side shoots that grew above knee height. Was surprised at the number and vigour of the side shoots, kept me busy pinching out!

Apparently you can eat the young shoots in a stir-fry too ;D

[tim]

Right with you, Emma. Even up here!

First sign of frost & fleece gets clipped to the poles.

[keithy]

Tim, are the pots there for watering or something ?