Ailsa Shows How to Make a Runner Bean Trench

I’ve never done particularly well with runner beans, so this year I’m going to do them in rows, rather than the traditional wigwams. I also decided to dig a runner bean trench over winter to give the plants the nutrients they need come summertime.

Today, I did that. Well, my glamorous assistant Ailsa did. I just took photos.

1. One trench, a foot deep and a foot wide.

2. Fill it with kitchen scraps, compost, manure or any old plants you’re done with. I pulled up some broccoli and broke it into smaller lumps. This will rot down and make sure the runner bean plants get all the nutrients and trace elements, as well as help to keep moisture around the roots.

3. Trample it all in.

I’m not touching this again until spring. I’ll continue to chuck good stuff in it until that time, and then I’ll fill the trench in and plant my seeds.

If this doesn’t turn around my recent rubbish runners record, then nothing will.

I’ll blame Ailsa if not.

Tagged runner bean trench, runner beans