Scarlet Runner Pole Beans
Scarlet Runners are a pole bean that produces very large, black and purple dry beans. The vines don't play well with many other veggies in the garden bed. And they want to climb 10' or more.
I've had trouble with germination after direct planting into the soil in past years. This year, I germinated the beans in moist paper towels, and then planted the successfully germinated beans into the dirt. (Nearly 40% did not germinate at all.)
This season, I planted Scarlet Runners in the ground at the corner of my front porch. Some nylon string (barely visible in the photo) was zig-zagged from the planting bed up to the base of the wrought iron support post. They were slow to get started, and tormented by earwigs and slugs. But once they got going, each vine adds about 4-6" at the tip per day.
Since their location is partially shaded, the leaves have become quite large (like shade-grown tobacco). I have no idea how well they will produce there, but it's starting to look nice. This is a July 4 picture.
Bob