How to Grow Climbing French Beans From Seed?

French beans are versatile and delicious. They are available as dwarf types, so you can grow them in pots or as climbers that will crop reliably during hot weather. Children love to eat them as finger food and they are perfect for those who don’t like runner beans. You can find them in several colors besides the usual green, like cream, yellow and purple French beans. 
 
 French bean seeds are easy to grow as they only need sun, shelter, and fertile, moist soil. They are susceptible to cold weather and frosts, so they are perfect for growing in Malaysia. To get the best results, they need to grow quickly.

Growing Climbing French Beans Seeds

Sow

You need to find a warm, sunny spot to grow French bean seeds and you will also need well-drained soil. 

Indoors

You can sow French Beans indoors; for this, you will need small pots. Sow one bean per container 5 centimeters deep. Once the young plants acclimatize, you can plant them outside.

Outdoors

Since Malaysia is a tropical country, you can sow outdoors, but seedlings may require a fleece at night for protection. Sow into pots or directly into the ground.  
 
If you sow into pots, make sure they are small and plant one bean per pot 5 centimeters deep. Place the containers outside in a sunny location. When the beans reach eight centimeters tall, you can transfer them into their final spot.

If you decide to sow them directly into the ground, make sure the soil temperature is warm. 
 
As you are going to grow climbing French bean seeds, it is essential to build shelter support from bamboo canes. Make sure to get the longest bamboo you can. Remember French beans will grow tall, to at least 2.5 meters. Make your pole ends about 40 centimeters apart. 
 
Plant five French bean seeds in each pole in your climbing frame. Sow at a five-centimeter depth, cover and water well. Wait between 7 to 14 days for the seeds to germinate. Calculate approximately 30 seeds around each support. 
 
Please take note that French bean seeds that have been raised indoors will need to get used to the outdoor temperature before they can be planted outside; this could take between seven to ten days depending on the weather. 

Common Problems When Growing Climbing French Beans

• Birds – especially pigeons, can eat seedlings, buds, leaves, etc. Cover the plants with netting or fleece to protect them.
• Slugs and snails – cause problems, especially on the young seedlings; you can see them on the soil or the leaves. You can use beer traps, sawdust or eggshell barriers, copper tape and biocontrols to protect your French beans.
• Black bean aphid – will disfigure plants and cause stunting to leaves and stems. To safeguard the seeds, catch the population when small and squash. 

Harvesting

Climbing French beans mature in 60 days. It is an excellent idea to pick daily. Do it in the early morning to have the best flavor. Make sure to pick before you can see the bean seed shape inside. 
 
 Please take note that climbing French beans variety produces for a more extended period than dwarf varieties. 
 
 You can begin picking the pods when they are 10 centimeters long. Once the pods snap easily, you know they are ready.

Climbing French Bean Tips

• French bean plants need to be watered regularly, especially when they are flowering. You need to maintain the moisture in the soil sound the roots by applying a mulch of garden compost. 
• To store French beans, you can blanch them in boiling water for two minutes and freeze them.
• Never eat raw pods. The best way to prepare French beans is to steam them and serve them with butter. 
• Cooked French beans can also be added to salads. Make sure to soak the dried beans for at least five hours, then boil them for 10 minutes and simmer for an hour before adding them to soups and casseroles. 

 The Bottom Line

French bean seeds are a must if you are growing your vegetable garden. They are easy to grow and they are packed with nutrition as they provide protein plus vitamins A and C. Climbing French beans only need the sun, water, shelter, and fertile, moist soil. For more information, feel free to get in touch with us.