the May Potager: Runner Beans – A Word of Warning

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Beware of garden centres selling you flageolot beans when you asked for runner beans! The name for runner bean in French is ‘Haricot d’Espagne’. You probably won’t find them in the veg section – they are more likely to be with the ornamental plant seeds.

Now is the perfect time for planting runner beans. Soak overnight in tepid water and they will germinate faster, or put directly into the trench and they will just take a few extra days to pop up. When preparing the trench, add a good amount of well rotted compost first – runner beans need lots of goodness in the soil to produce well. Plant one bean on either side of the canes, spaced at about 12-18 inches apart. When the plants reach the top of the canes, pinch out the tops to encourage more side shoots and therefore, more flowers & more beans.

runner bean in French is ‘Haricot d’Espagne’

Other Vegetables

Parsnips, carrots, French beans and pea seeds can all be planted (in succession, planting a couple of rows each fortnight) now. And cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, courgette, aubergines, pepper and cucumber plants can all be put out too. If there’s any sign of a cold night, protect young or tender plants with some fleece.

Hoeing regularly will increase crop success; if the plants have to compete for moisture and space with the weeds, they’ll be less productive. 10 minutes a day should make all the difference.

Soft Fruit

Strawberry plants can be strawed up now (or as soon as flowers have set fruit). This will keep the fruit off the ground and thus prevent mildew.

Once fruit has set on currants, cover the plants to prevent the birds from feasting on your hard labour. An old net curtain will do the job.

Early-fruiting raspberries will also need protection from the birds – maybe lots of fleece or net curtaining will be required but if soft fruit is your thing, it may be worth investing in a fruit cage – strong, easy to erect, with a full height door and netting all the way round.

Tomatoes

The ‘pomme d’amour’ (love apple) was believed to have (albeit non-proven)
aphrodisiac qualities. Developed by the Aztecs, it is thought to be a native of Peru and can be grown equally well in pots or in open ground. Varieties to try:

Roma: These are the long tomato, often associated with Italy; very juicy, they are excellent for making tomato sauce
Marmande & Coeur de Boeuf These are both the ‘beef’ type of tomato – good for barbecuing and for stuffing
Cerise & Cerise Jaune: Perfect little cherry tomatoes, ideal for aperitifs or for salads
Tomate à Grappes: These vine tomatoes, a bit larger than ‘Cerise’ are a good all-rounder and great for roasting whole on their vines (looks very ‘designer’ on the plate!)
Pyros & Monfavet Both very flavoursome and juicy all-rounders; larger than the vine tomatoes but smaller than beef tomatoes

Never grow tomatoes in the same spot as the previous year. This will minimise the occurrence of pests and blight. Blight, sadly doesn’t really have a cure; if we have a good hot summer, blight is less likely, but if there’s hot weather followed by spells of heavy rain, blight can blight your tomatoes – in which case, remove fast and burn the plants. Pot-grown tomatoes are thought to be more resistant to blight, so maybe try some in the ground and others in pots (minimum of a 5 litre pot per plant).

Top Tips for May:

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• Plant second early and maincrop potatoes

• Pick off any developing fruit from newly-planted top fruits (plums, pears, apples) to allow the plant to establish in its first year

• Pop in old but sturdy twigs alongside peas to allow plants to climb a little

• When planting carrot seed, make sure the ground is stone-free. Cover the rows with netted tunnels if carrot fly is a problem – they won’t get inside the netting and with netting, both air and water can penetrate

IN THE POTAGER with Jean-Luc Neale

the May Potager: Runner Beans – A Word of Warning

Top Tips for May: