Runner Bean ‘Snowstorm’ is a popular, UK-bred variety known for its reliable pod setting, pure white flowers, and long, sweet, stringless pods (up to 30cm), offering improvements over older types like ‘Moonlight’ with better self-setting due to French bean genetics, making it a tasty choice for sunny spots needing strong support.
Key Features
- Appearance: Produces beautiful, pure white flowers and long, straight, tender pods that are stringless when young.
- Self-Setting: A major advantage is its improved ability to set pods reliably, even in cooler or less pollinator-friendly conditions.
- Taste & Texture: Offers excellent eating quality with a smooth texture, great for fresh eating.
- Size: A vigorous climber, reaching up to 3m (10ft) tall, requiring a strong support structure like a trellis or canes.
Growing Details
- Sowing: Sow indoors from mid-April or directly outside in May after the last frost.
- Sunlight: Needs a bright, sunny location.
- Soil: Prefers fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure.
- Support: Essential; provide sturdy canes or a trellis for climbing.
- Watering & Feeding: Keep well-watered and feed regularly, especially during flowering and pod development.
Harvesting
- For Green Beans: Pick when pods are 20-25cm (8-10″) long for best texture; they can grow to 30cm (12″).
- For Drying: Allow pods to mature fully for large, delicious dry beans suitable for soups and stews.
Benefits
- Dual Purpose: Can be grown for both fresh pods and dried beans.
- Ornamental: Its white flowers make it attractive enough for flower borders as well as vegetable plots.
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