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.

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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.

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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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