How to grow beans for drying

With beans grown for drying, the pods are allowed to fully ripen and dry out on the plant, then the beans can be stored for use over winter in stews, soups and casseroles. Borlotti beans are a popular choice, and some runner and French beans can also be grown this way. 

Most beans grown for drying are climbers, as these are more productive. Dwarf varieties can be used too, but produce smaller crops. They also don’t dry well on the plants, as the pods often touch the ground, where they get damp and easily rot, so they are best picked and dried indoors.

Borlotti beans are the best-known beans for drying, but most runner and French beans can be grown in this way, although certain varieties are particularly suitable. Different varieties produce dried beans of various colours, including white, brown and purple. Others beans specifically for drying include the striking black and white ‘Yin Yang’ beans.

When choosing varieties, look in particular for those with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed well in trials – see our list of AGM fruit and veg.

Choose a warm, open, sunny growing site, ideally on light, free-draining soil.  

Weed thoroughly, then fork in lots of well-rotted manure or garden compost – at least two bucketfuls per square metre/yard. Ideally do this a few weeks ahead of sowing or planting out, to allow the ground to settle, or even better, do it the previous autumn if you’ve planned your growing site early enough.  

You can also add a high potassium general fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4, at a rate of two handfuls per square metre/yard. 

Because beans take longer to mature fully, it’s essential, especially in northern regions, to sow them early, ideally indoors. Borlotti, runner and French beans are tender plants that won’t survive frost, so wait until after the last frost before sowing or planting outside. Choose a sunny growing site, and prepare it beforehand by adding well-rotted manure or garden compost and putting up supports for climbing varieties.

Wait until after the last frost before planting indoor-raised or bought young plants outside. Harden off to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions for a couple of weeks, by putting them either in a cold frame or in a warm, sheltered spot, covered with fleece or cloches.

Make sure your planting site is ready – see Preparing the ground and Putting up supports above. 

Plant one climbing bean at the base of each bamboo cane, then tie their stems loosely to the canes to get them started. With dwarf beans, space plants 30cm (1ft) apart.  

Once climbing beans reach the top of their supports, cut off any additional growth. This should encourage side-shoots lower down, keep the crop within reach and help to stop plants becoming top-heavy.

Tie in any stems that come loose from the canes in windy weather.

Beans start to mature from July onwards, from early sowings.

When ready to harvest, the pods become dry, shrivelled and brittle. Avoid picking after rain, so the beans are as dry as possible.

Remove the beans from the pods and lay them on a tray in a warm place to fully dry out and turn hard. Then store in airtight jars and use in casseroles, soups and stews.

Harvest the last of your crop before the first frost. If any pods aren’t fully mature, then pick, shell and freeze the almost-mature beans, for use as you would dried ones. 

These beans are easy to grow, but they are tender, so must be kept indoors until after the last frost. If a late cold snap is forecast, cover your plants overnight with cloches or fleece.

Seedlings and young plants are vulnerable to slugs and snails – see our tips on how to stop slugs and snails. Keep watch for black aphids on the shoot tips and under leaves – squash them or wash them off with a jet from the hose before they get established.