Crop type: Runner Beans
Phaseolus coccineus ‘Liberty’ AGM
Common name: Runner bean ‘Liberty’
Crop slug: runner-beans
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile and its linked crop guidance. Check the sources and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Liberty’ is an RHS award-winning climbing runner bean grown for large crops of exceptionally long mid-green pods with good flavour. Large red flowers open in summer, followed by edible pods that can reach 35cm and continue from late summer until the first frosts. It has also been valued as a show cultivar because of its very long, well-presented beans.
The vigorous vine reaches about 3m in a single season and is normally treated as a frost-tender annual in the UK. Frequent young picking balances the cultivar’s impressive potential length with tenderness for the kitchen.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 2.5–4 metres
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Time to ultimate size
- One year
- Pod length
- Up to 35cm
- Habit
- Climbing
Provide a strong support around 2.5m high before planting. Space plants 15–30cm apart and leave clear access to both sides for harvesting the long pods without bending or damaging them.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, clay, loam or sand improved with organic matter
- Moisture
- Moist but well drained
- Preferred pH
- Neutral or alkaline
Enrich the planting trench or bed generously with compost or well-rotted manure. Water deeply and frequently once flowering begins, because uneven moisture can reduce pod set and coarsen long beans. Mulch after the ground has warmed.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H2, tolerant of cool conditions but not frost
Plant outside after frost risk has passed and the soil is at least 12°C. Harden indoor-raised plants gradually. Shelter helps protect the tall structure and encourages steady flower and pod development.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
Green trifoliate leaves clothe the tall twining stems. Large scarlet-red pea-like flowers appear in summer, then develop into very long, smooth mid-green pods. Flowers provide the main ornamental colour, while the slender hanging pods create the cultivar’s unmistakable productive display from late summer to frost.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Climbing
- RHS recognition
- Award of Garden Merit and Plants for Pollinators
Genus
Phaseolus contains annual and perennial legumes, generally climbing or trailing and bearing trifoliate leaves. Cultivated members are grown for edible pods and seeds, ornamental flowers, green manure and animal feed.
Safety
Raw pods and beans are harmful if eaten. Cook runner beans thoroughly and keep raw crop material away from pets. Wear suitable protection when handling if required.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Sow seeds 5cm deep indoors from mid-April or outdoors after frost once the soil is warm. Plant alongside a sturdy bean frame in fertile, moisture-retentive ground. Guide young vines onto the support, water reliably through flowering and pod swelling, and give container plants a high-potassium feed every two weeks after first bloom.
Pinch out shoots once they reach the top of the support. For eating quality, pick before the beans reach their full show length, normally around 20–25cm while they snap cleanly and the seeds remain small. Harvest every two or three days to prolong cropping.
Propagation
Propagate from seed. Raise individual plants in small pots, harden them off and transplant in late May or early June. Protect outdoor sowings and seedlings from cold, birds, slugs and snails.
Suggested locations
- Allotment bean frame
- Kitchen or cottage garden
- Wildlife-friendly edible border
- Sunny sheltered wall
- Large container with a strong climbing support
Pruning
Remove the tips of shoots once they reach the top of the support. Cut away spent top growth after the final harvest, leaving roots to decompose in the soil if healthy.
Pests
Black bean aphids may attack soft shoots. Slugs, snails and birds can damage seedlings and young plants, so inspect and protect them during establishment.
Diseases
May be susceptible to foot rot. Use well-drained soil, avoid damaging stems at ground level and rotate beans to reduce persistent soil problems.