When to sow Runner Bean in the UK
Across the UK the first sowing of runner bean falls 11 weeks apart — mid April in the mildest areas, late June in the coldest. That gap is why a single national sowing date is wrong for almost everybody.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Timings below are adjusted from the midlands and lowland wales baseline using Met Office average last and first frost dates for each area.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Sow outdoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | mid March to early April | mid April to late May | late April to early May | late May to late August |
| South Coast and Channel | late March to mid April | late April to late May | early May to mid May | early June to early September |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | mid March to early April | mid April to late May | late April to early May | late May to late August |
| South East and Home Counties | early April to late April | early May to mid June | mid May to late May | mid June to mid September |
| East Anglia | mid April to early May | mid May to mid June | late May to early June | late June to late September |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid April to early May | late May to late June | late May to mid June | early July to early October |
| Wales and West Coast | early April to late April | early May to mid June | mid May to late May | mid June to mid September |
| Northern England | late April to mid May | late May to early July | early June to mid June | mid July to early October |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early May to late May | early June to mid July | mid June to late June | mid July to mid October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late May to mid June | late June to early August | early July to mid July | early August to early November |
| Northern Ireland | mid April to early May | mid May to mid June | late May to early June | late June to late September |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early March to late March | mid April to mid May | mid April to early May | late May to late August |
Growing notes
Needs sturdy 2.5m canes and consistent watering at flowering; thrives in cool, wet UK summers but pods can fail to set in heatwaves.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 20 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 50 cm
- Plants per m²
- 6
- Days to maturity
- 90 days
- Yield per plant
- 2.5 kg
- Sun
- Full sun
- Frost tender
- Yes — do not plant out until after the last frost
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 55 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 45 cm
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- failure to set pods
- blackfly
- slugs on young plants
Companion planting
Grows well near
- sweetcorn
- summer savory
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for runner bean.