Description
French Bean Dwarf Rainbow Mix is a mixture of dwarf French bean varieties in purple, yellow and green.
Purple Teepee has superb flavoured round purple pods, Hildora has bright yellow tender pods and Tendergreen has virtually stringless green beans.
| When to sow | Sow indoors late April and May, outdoors in late May to July. |
| Where to Sow | French beans prefer moist, fertile soil in a sunny position, sheltered from strong winds. Prepare the seed bed or pot/container by digging over and adding plenty of organic material to help retain moisture. |
| Sow indoors in compost filled pots 4cm (1.5in) deep. Place in a warm sunny position and water regularly until they germinate. | |
| Sow direct outdoors, placing 2 seeds at the base of each support (at least 23cm (9in) apart), 4 cm ( 1.5in) deep. | |
| Transplant seeds sown indoors to final growing position once the risk of frost has passed. Place a seedling at the base of each support (at least 23cm (9in) apart) and water well. | |
| What to do Next | French Dwarf beans are mostly self supporting , however if you do want to train it and keep the beans off the ground, It is best to construct a support prior to sowing or planting beans. |
| For seeds sown direct, remove the weakest seedling at each support station. | |
| As the seedlings grow encourage them to grow up the support. | |
| Keep weed free and water well. | |
| Harvest | July to September |
| Handy Tips | Prior to sowing place seeds on damp paper towelling until they swell as this will initiate germination. |
| Try sowing beans in compost filled toilet roll cardboard inners, this allows the soil to be free draining and also allows gives the roots plenty of room to grow. When the seedlings are ready to plant out the cardboard rolls they can be placed directly into the seed bed minimising root disturbance. | |
| Once the beans have reached the top of the support, remove the growing tip. This will encourage the plant to focus more of its energy on growing beans. | |
| Pick beans often and do not allow them to get too large. This will encourage a longer and heavier crop and prevent the beans becoming stringy. | |
| Companion Planting | Good Companions: Rosemary, peas, cucumbers, carrots, chives, radishes, lettuce, nasturtiums. |
| Bad Companions: Onion or fennel. | |
| Nutritional Information | Rich in protein and fibre and additionally offer potassium, iron, vitamins A, C and K, and calcium. |
| Serving Suggestion | French beans are a mild and versatile vegetable. They can be served whole, sliced or shelled. Add whole or halved to salads, sautéed or steam with other vegetables or chop and cook in curry, risottos, omelettes and casseroles. They are also a good vegetable to freeze after blanching. |
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