Starting city beans

Beans are an ideal crop for growing in cities. While many think of beans growing in wigwams in open ground, in cities they work well growing on walls and stairwells or on netting over spaces. Climbing beans and bush varieties also work well growing in containers on balconies or rooftops. With many varieties to choose from it is possible to have a constant supply of fresh beans through the summer months.

While beans can be started outside in a month or two, it is best to start them indoors using a simple propagator system. Four beans in a plastic box are covered with soil, sprayed until moist (not mud) and then sealed with plastic and an elastic band. When the small plants appear the plastic is removed and the boxes placed on a windowsill for a further week. The small plants are then potted up into recycled milk cartons for another few weeks.

The main reason for starting beans indoors is to create strong healthy plants that slugs will not destroy. Slugs and snails love young bean plants. Over a period of several weeks the plants are slowly moved outdoors, at first for a few hours and then later overnight. Once established outdoors the plants are then ready for planting in soil beds or containers (minimum 10 litres).

For those with less space or using rooftops or balconies, bush beans can be grown in containers. Bush varieties do not climb but form small bushes. These also should be started indoors with 2 beans to a starter pot then gradually hardened off outside. The whole pot of beans is then transplanted to a larger container (minimum 10 litres). With two or three plants in a larger container, a regular harvest can be obtained every other week.

There is nothing nicer than fresh garden beans. By having a dozen or more plants a regular harvest can be obtained throughout the summer months. Beans are better to be picked young to encourage new growth, not left on the plant. By getting an early start on plants indoors the city gardener can have hardy plants ready for outside in a month or two, depending on the weather.

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