• DELIVERY INFO: We currently expect to deliver new orders for plants & veg patches within 7 days. Please see FAQs for further info.

French Climbing Bean – Cosse Violette

£5.99

Out of stock

Decorative, flavoursome and easy to grow
Producing amazing purple pods, this French climbing bean is easy to grow, has a lovely flavour and will harvest over many weeks during the summer.

DELIVERY: Please see FAQs for up-to-date delivery information

Number of plants: 10

Variety: Cosse Violette

Can be grown in: Pots and containers, grow bags, raised beds. They will need support to climb. Find out more about growing climbing beans in our growing guide below.

In the kitchen: Top and tail, place in boiling water and cook until tender. The beautiful deep purple pods will turn dark green on cooking.

Plant out: late April to early July. These plants will arrive bare-rooted with an approximate height of 10-20cm.

Transplants suitable for organic growing.

Beans

A sunny site

Beans are perfect for a sunny, well-drained spot. They prefer to grow in moist, fertile soil in a sheltered location away from strong winds. Avoid growing beans in very wet soils.

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Beds or pots?

For climbing beans: Raised beds or a traditional veg plot is best. You can also grow them in large, deep containers. They will need something to climb up – it’s easiest to make a wigwam out of bamboo canes.

For dwarf varieties: Raised beds, traditional veg plots and pots and containers work well (1 to a small pot), as do grow bags (3 to 4 per grow bag). These dwarf varieties do not need support.

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How far apart?

For climbing beans: 30cm apart around the base of a wigwam support is about right.

For dwarf beans: 20cm apart

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Plant out in mid spring

If your plants arrive while it’s still a bit chilly, in April/early May, it’s worth planting them in pots and popping them in the greenhouse or on a windowsill until it warms up a bit.

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Keep them well watered

Beans are thirsty plants and need plenty of water to help them flourish. When plants are young, water every day whilst they get established. During dry spells, water frequently and deeply, not allowing the soil to dry out.

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Keep weeds down

Keep weeds down so that they have a better chance of growing up nice and strong!

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When to harvest

Once the plants are flowering in summer, you’ll soon see the bean pods starting to form. Pick beans when they reach the right size, and remember that the more often you pick them, the more they will keep producing!

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Drying beans to store

If you are growing beans to dry and store (e.g. borlotti beans) – leave pods on the plant until they start to change colour and dry out at the end of the season. Harvest them during a dry spell, (avoid leaving them on the plant for too long if it is wet and damp as they will soon start to rot) and leave them in a warm, dry place to fully dry out. You should be able to hear them rattling inside when you shake them. Once the beans are completely dry, you can pod them and store them in an airtight jar.

Slugs & Snails

You’ll quickly see the tell tale signs of nibbled leaves and slime trails if slugs and snails are eating your plants. Set beer traps, put a barrier of natural slug deterrent (broken egg shells, grit etc) around the base of plants, do a dusk slug patrol and keep the plot as free from slug-friendly hiding places as possible. Read more slug tactics 

Yellow/discoloured leaves

If leaves are not a healthy green, you can be sure that they are not getting enough water and nutrients from the soil. Water daily, preferably in the morning, and use a liquid feed fortnightly until the plants recover.

White/brown patches on leaves

If you see thin white or brown papery patches on leaves it is most likely to be a lack of water. Give plants a deep watering to replenish moisture levels in the soil, then water at least every other day to keep them healthy.

Symptom checker

Holes in leaves/slime trails = Slugs or snails

Yellow leaves = Lack of water/nutrients

White papery patches on leaves = Lack of water

Stunted growth = Too cold/windy for young seedlings to thrive. Protect them with a cloche

Storage Tips

Once picked, beans will keep in the fridge for a few days, although they taste better if used fresh.

If you’d like to dry the beans out, wait until they have dried out on the plants. Then, pick them and leave them to dry out in a nice dry place before you shell them. Keep the beans in an airtight container. (Don’t forget to soak them again before you cook them!)

Recipe ideas

  • Beans are delicious simply steamed and served with a  drizzle of olive oil and pinch of sea salt.
  • Try a runner bean chutney – it is seriously good!
  • Serve French Beans in a tomato & garlic sauce with crunchy breadcrumbs on top.

Cooking Tips

  • Bring water to the boil before adding beans to the pan – this will help to keep them a nice vibrant green.
  • Unfortunately, purple beans do not retain their colour once cooked. They turn green instead.
  • Young borlotti beans can be treated as runner beans if you want to harvest them earlier in the season.

When we deliver
We usually deliver these plants through into July/Aug, although it’s a little dependent on the weather.

You can order from…
These plants are available to be ordered now and we’ll despatch them as soon as they are big enough to both handle the journey to your garden and handle life outside the poly tunnel.

Do I need to sign for them?
All our plant orders are dispatched with an overnight courier* to mainland UK and do not need to be signed for when they are delivered, but will be left somewhere safe. When placing your order, please let us know where you would like the plants left if you are not in when the courier delivers.

We will keep you posted
You will receive an email to let you know that your order is ready to be dispatched and another on the day your plants are packed and leave us, so you know to expect and prepare for their arrival.

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