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.
Dry beans stored up to three years can still be sown. Remove enough from the pack to sow individually with a 25cm spacing.
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.
Thoroughly soak the compost and keep it moist. Seeds take between a week and 10 days to germinate.
In spring, pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies and hoverflies will have just emerged from hibernation or flown here from Europe and Africa. Most will need nectar for energy and pollen to feed their young. Learn how to make your garden bee-friendly in spring. You can help pollinators by choosing simple, single-flowered plants with open centres, which will allow them easy access to their food – such as the plants used in this pretty pot.
Heather and hellebores are perfect for adding winter colour to the garden. Helleborus x sahinii ‘Winterbells’ is the star of this container display. With nodding blooms and dusky backs to the petals, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the bronze sedge, wood spurge and heathers. Follow our how-to guide to planting up this hellebore and heather container display in three easy steps.
You can’t beat the sweetness of home-grown carrots, not to mention the satisfaction of harvesting your own food. With this fast-growing variety you’ll be enjoying these short, succulent roots in no time – they’re perfect for growing in pots or in the ground. Your May subscriber edition includes a free double-pack of seeds of Cosmos ‘Purity’ and Carrot ‘Royal Chantenay 3’. More on growing carrots Follow our comprehensive carrot Grow Guide and discover more delicious varieties to try, in
Fill your borders or containers with elegant daisy-like blooms. The bright, white flowers of Cosmos ‘Purity’ are ideal for creating vibrant contrasts in your planting schemes. They also work well in cut flower arrangements. Your May subscriber edition includes a free double-pack of seeds including Cosmos ‘Purity’ and Carrot ‘Royal Chantenay 3’ More on growing cosmos Follow our comprehensive cosmos Grow Guide and discover more beautiful varieties to try, in our collection of May extras.