Growing French beans is one of my favourite vegetables to grow.

There are two types: dwarf French beans or climbing French beans, there are also green varieties as well as purple varieties.

French beans should be sown outside when the soil is nicely warmed up around April/May depending on the area you live in. You can start sowing them earlier by starting them indoors. French beans like soil that is fertile and well-drained. They also prefer growing in a sheltered area, and full sun and they also like mulching around them as it helps keep moisture in the ground.

When the French beans are about 3 inches tall, then thin them out to allow some space between each plant, space between each plant needs to be around 3 to 4 inches. Bush varieties crop quicker than climbing varieties and can be ready to eat within 60 days.

If you are going to grow dwarf green beans in pots, then take a pot that is at least 12 inches around and fill it with compost. Sow around 8 seeds per pot, you can either just push them about ½ inch into the compost, or lay them on top and cover with some compost. Once these come up you can pull the weaker plants out and transplant these in other pots.

For a constant supply of French beans you can keep sowing French beans every two to three weeks right July/August again this depends on the area you live in.

You won’t need to stake dwarf French beans, but climbing French beans will need staking on canes.

You need to water French beans regularly to get a good crop of beans, especially while they’re flowering.

If you a growing climbing French beans you may need to tie them on to the cane. As this will encourage their tiny vines to attach to the bamboo cane.

Harvest French beans when they are young and tender, you can either cut the beans of the plant or pull them gently of the stalk.

French beans are very easy to grow and are a great favourite for vegetable gardeners to grow.