Dwarf French beans are long-cropping, compact plants, ideal for a container. They taste good fresh, or if left longer to mature, beans can be shelled and dried for the store cupboard.

Find out how to grow runner beans.

Here's how to sow dwarf French beans in three easy steps.

You will need:

  • Dwarf French bean seeds
  • Large pot
  • Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
  • Watering can

Step 1:

Dry beans stored up to three years can still be sown. Remove enough from the pack to sow individually with a 25cm spacing.

Dwarf French bean seeds

Step 2:

Fill a large pot with peat free multipurpose compost. Sow beans 5cm deep.

See our guide to peat free compost to find a range that suits your needs.

Sowing dwarf French bean seed

Step 3:

Thoroughly soak the compost and keep it moist. Seeds take between a week and 10 days to germinate.

Watering the pot

How to harvest

Pick the beans from midsummer onwards, when the pods are about 10cm long.

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