Now is the ideal time to make a start on preparing your bean trench. You will have probably decided on your site for your runner beans this summer already. So dig out a deep trench and fill the bottom of the trench with the compost from your compost bin. Kitchen waste, kept from over winter, is the perfect addition to the bottom of the trench. Cover the trench over with soil, ready for planting your seedlings.

Your seeds can either be planted directly into the soil, or planted under glass, and transferred once the risk of frost has reduced.

Runner beans don’t only produce a great supply of crops, most have beautiful flowers that make your allotment a cheerier place to be.