Runner Bean: Montacute
Named after the village in Somerset, but equally happy growing in Wales, it is thought that this easy to grow variety has been around since the late 19th century. It crops heavily, has a great flavour and remains stringless even when mature.
Grown by Wales Seed Hub member Carolyn Moody on her One Planet smallholding in Pontyates.
Approx 50 seeds per pack.
Seed Story: These fantastic beans are named after the village in Somerset, where it is thought that the variety has been grown since the late 19th century, and they do really well for us here in west Wales. The pod set is excellent, so they crop heavily, providing loads of sweet, succulent and tender beans throughout the season. Plants are tall and bushy with the striking red flowers so associated with this species of bean. Like most runners, to avoid them getting stringy, pick the pods before the beans inside get too big. Any that do get a bit chunky, don’t just compost them, leave them on the plant until the end of the season, and you can then harvest and dry the seeds, using them in soups and casseroles over the winter.
Not quite as hardy as french beans, start your runners off indoors in late spring and don’t plant out until early summer as the soil won’t be warm enough before that. They’ll need a need a slightly larger spacing too – about 9” to 1ft. Plants can get quite heavy towards the end of the summer, so will be susceptible to strong winds – a good, firm support structure is therefore vital. Pinching out the tops once they have reached to top of the structure will stop them getting too top heavy, and will encourage bushier growth, so more beans!
Why not save your own seeds!? All our seeds are open pollinated, non-hybrid varieties.
See our seed saving guidelines here: Save Your Own Seeds
Seed grown using agroecological principles. We are licenced to sell seed and issue plant passports. Reg number: 7710.