DWARF AND RUNNER BEANS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 19, 9 November 1910, Page 40

DWARF AND RUNNER BEANS.

HOW TO GROW THEM IN SMALL GARDENS. Both dwarf and runner beans are very remunerative, and especially suitable for small and town gardens. Both kinds are very tender, and soon killed by frosts, also prevented from making good progress by very cold winds early in tlhe season but the runner bean is somewhat hardier than the dwarf one. Too many plants should not be grown in a small space or few bean pods will be produced. THE SOIL must be deeply dug and well manured, in fact, trenched about two feet deep, so that the roots of the plants can freely permeate it. If the sail be loosened and manured on the surface only, the roots of the plants will not support the crop through a short spell of very hot, dry weather. As the work of digging or

trtnidhing goes on add seme well-rotted Bnsire to the soil; if several rows are to be grown side by side, manure the whole of the ground, do not be satisfied With the mere placing of manure in the drills prior to the sowing of the seeds. •If single rows or clumps are to be grown then manure a strip of ground 4ft. wide for the former and a space covering at least 9ft. square for the latter. By applying manure in the way described the cultivator will provide a rich rooting area for the plants. MAKING THE DRILLS AND SOWING THE SEED. The earliest crops should be grown on the warmest borders. In the case of dwarf beans a number of sowings should be made; do not depend upon one sowing for a continuous crop of pods, else disappointment will foUow; but, as regards the runners, one sowing will suffice. S’ig. 1 shows how to make use of a warm corner in a small garden for the raising ©f an early crop of dwarf beans. I am presuming that the cultivator has deeply dug and well manured the plot of ground. This being the case, it will only be necessary to open shallow drills eighteen inches apart, as shown in the sketch, and then to drop the seeds about six inches apart, in the bottom of the drills. Bury the seeds about three inches deep. If only a very thin covering of soft be put on them they will lie rather too dry, and germination will be slow and iregular, but when buried three inches deep the moisture around the seeds is regular, and induces quick germination. Figure 2 shows how to grow dwarf beans in the open quarters. Exactly the same preparation of the soil is necessary here as in the case of the earlier crops on a warm, south border, but here I advise a different system of sowing the seeds. The drills are made wider, at least 24in. apart, and the seeds are sown sin. apart in a zig-zag fashion, as shown in the sketch. Now, when the resultant plants are about 6in. high, draw up some soil to them on both sides of the row; draw it up loosely, and not in such a manner as to unduly press the plants together. Before the plants bear any pods, support them on both sides with tiny branching sticks, or if these l»e difficult to obtain, use string stretched from small stakes fixed about 4ft. apart. This arrangement will prevent the heavilyladen plants being blown over; this would Boil the pods, which, furthermore, would

then grow crooked. There are various ways of growing runner beans in a small gardetl, namely, in rows in the open border, in clumps there, also; in wall borders so that the haulm can be trained to the wall up strings or in other ways; over arches to pillars, and to form arbours. The runner bean is ornamental as well as useful, and forms one of the best plants for the small garden, as many pods may be grown on a few plants. Fig. 3 shows how to grow the beans in double rows —a favourite way—and one often adopted where a sheltering screen is required. A shows the bottom of the shallow trench 4in. deep and 12in. wide where the seeds are sown in two rows, and 6in. apart in the rows. B B denote ground on both sides of the row, well manured. Fig. 4 shows how to grow the plants in clumps or circles 30in. in diameter. Sticks or string, or sticks and wire netting combined, may be used for the support of the plants. In the case of the

long double row stakes or string must be placed to each plant, and made sevsre at the top, 6ft. above ground level. SEVERN (in “Amateur Gardening.")