How to grow climbing beans in a raised bed

Climbing beans make brilliant use of a raised bed's height — a teepee or trellis of beans crops for weeks in a small footprint, and picks at an easy height with no bending.

Quick facts

• Position: full sun, 6+ hours
• Spacing: 15 cm apart
• Tub depth: our 35 cm depth
• Time to harvest: 10–12 weeks
• Support: a tall teepee or trellis

When to plant: Climbing beans are frost-tender — sow directly from spring through summer once it's warm. They resent transplanting, so sow where they're to grow. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.

Growing them in a raised bed: Set up a sturdy teepee or trellis first, then sow seed at the base — they'll spiral up on their own. Scarlet runner beans add gorgeous flowers as a bonus.

Watering and feeding: Keep the mix evenly moist through flowering and podding; a dry spell means fewer beans. Don't over-feed with nitrogen — beans make their own.

Common pests: keep an eye out for aphids, caterpillars and two-spotted mite. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.

Common diseases: the main ones are rust and mosaic virus. Good airflow, morning watering and steady moisture prevent most.

Companion plants: Corn and cucumbers are classic companions; keep beans away from onions and garlic. See our companion planting guide.

Harvest and storage: Pick pods young and often while they snap cleanly — regular picking keeps a climbing bean cropping for many weeks.

More growing guides: beans, snow peas and sugar snap peas.

Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: Kolforn (Kolforn), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.