Machynlleth Climbing French Bean

£2.50

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Sorry, now out of stock for this year! More coming autumn 2026.

Machynlleth French bean is a unique variety from an allotment holder called Syd who grew and saved the seed for over 30 years. Having originally grown these beans in Sussex, Syd brought them to Wales where they continued to adapt and flourish for him. Donated to the community group Dyfi Valley Seed Savers, this seed is now available to buy from the Wales Seed Hub.

Vigorous plants with creamy white flowers, they produce prolific crops of short tender green beans. When left to mature, the small white seeds are equally good for drying and cooking.

Seed Story: A reliable and versatile French bean with creamy white flowers and prolific crops of short tender green beans. If pods are left to mature, the small white seeds are excellent used fresh or dried in soups and casseroles. Allotment holder Syd Melbourne grew and saved this variety for over 30 years before donating it to the Welsh community group Dyfi Valley Seed Savers in 2010 – it has been popular with mid Wales gardeners ever since. If you only want to grow one French bean, try this one!

Approx. 60 seeds per pack.

Stewarded by Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library.

Botanical name: Phaseolus vulgaris

Grown by: Lauren Simpson

Dwarf French Beans
Sow undercover in late spring in deep modules or small pots. Harden off and plant out after last frost. Sow 4 cm deep with spacing 15cm between plants and 40 cm between rows or 20 – 25 cm apart if in raised beds. French beans like warmth, sun and rich soil. Sometimes dwarf beans still need support, so try using twiggy prunings between the plants. Keep plants well-watered and pick frequently to promote more flowers and beans. Dwarf French Beans have a fairly short productive season so sow in succession to provide harvest for longer periods. Can be sown direct later in the season.

Climbing French beans
Sow them in deep modules or small pots in late spring (April) with some seed compost and if there are mice around, cover them up before they germinate, as rodents love the seeds. Harden off the young seedlings, then plant them out about 6-8” apart once all risk of frost has passed and the soil is warming up. Can be sown direct in warmer soil in May. Dig in plenty of organic matter initially and water regularly throughout the season. The beans will need a structure with canes or string to wind themselves around as they climb. Most will find their own way up, but if any get a bit ‘lost’ you can simply wind them up yourself to begin with. Make sure you wind them anticlockwise though, otherwise they’ll just unwind themselves!

Drying Beans
Because drying beans take longer to fully mature on the plant, they’re best started off early, indoors in April. Drying beans are great, as they’re a fantastic source of protein, especially if you’re following a plant-based diet. They’re tasty, healthy and can be stored for a long time without the need for complicated, high-energy processing. You can dry pretty much any bean, but borlottis are my personal favourite as they’re not too big and have thin skins which means a velvety smooth texture when you cook with them later on. They’re great in soups, casseroles and chillies, and in my opinion, make the ultimate home made baked beans. They look fantastic in your garden, with their mottled coloured pods; and the speckled beans themselves are beautiful. A friend of mine once said they look like tiny dragons’ eggs!