Slender green beans with excellent flavour, dwarf French Bean Faraday produces high yields, shows excellent disease resistance and is particularly suitable for raised containers.
Sow indoors
Sow individual seeds 2.5cm (1in) deep in 7.5cm (3in) pots filled with seed compost. Keep the pots in a frost-free greenhouse or on a light windowsill, though out of direct sunlight. Ensure the soil is kept moist at all times, but never saturated.
Gradually accustom plants to outdoor conditions for two to three weeks before planting out to permanent outdoor planting positions after the risks of frost have passed.
Provide supports for plants before transplanting in their permanent positions from May. This can be wig-wam supports, obelisks or even evergreen shrubs that French bean can climb up naturally. Allow 30cm (12in) between plants in the row and 30cm (12in) between rows.
Sowing outdoors
Sow seeds in their permanent position 30cm (12in) apart and 5cm (2in) deep. Keep soil moist at all times, but never saturated. Dwarf French Beans hate wet, cold soil so if this is a danger or it’s a particularly cold spring, sow indoors in pots and wait until the weather improves to plant out.
Water well in mornings and evenings in summer at the base of plants. Also spray mist the plant leaves and flowers to encourage flower and bean production. Do this in an evening when the sun is lower in the sky.
Harvest
From July pick beans when they are young and tender. French beans freeze well so slice them and blanch them in boiling water for a minute, drain cool then bag up for the freezer.