{"product_id":"dwarf-french-bean-slenderette","title":"Dwarf French Bean 'Slenderette' | The Big Veg","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSlim, dark and glossy, 'Slenderette' is the dwarf French bean for people who don't have a garden — or the patience for fiddly canes. It grows on a tidy little bush: no wigwams, no supports, nothing to blow over in the wind. Just beans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThe pods are pencil-thin and deep green, with proper flavour. The trick is to pick them young and keep picking: every handful you take tells the plant to flower and set more pods, so it carries on cropping into autumn.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eIt stays compact — roughly 45cm tall and 20–30cm across — so a bucket, a deep pot or a grow bag on a balcony is all it needs. It's also known for good disease resistance, which is one less thing for a first-timer to worry about.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eOne honest heads-up: beans are softies about the cold. They hate frost and sulk in cold soil, so the golden rule up here in Scotland is \u003ci\u003edon't rush them outside\u003c\/i\u003e. Warmth first, beans later.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe quick version\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"ul1\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eStart indoors from mid-to-late April on a warm windowsill (around 18–21°C), or sow straight outside from late May into June, once the soil's properly warm and all frost has passed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSow one seed about 5cm (2in) deep, roughly 15cm apart\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003ePops up in around 7–14 days\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eNo support needed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003ePicking from roughly late July into October\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eLoves a sunny, sheltered spot. It's an annual, so it's one glorious season, then it's done\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's in your kit\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"ul1\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Slenderette' bean seeds\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeaweed meal\u003c\/strong\u003e, to wake up your compost\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWool pellets\u003c\/strong\u003e — they lock in moisture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eComfrey pellets\u003c\/strong\u003e — potassium-rich, which is exactly what beans want once they start flowering and podding (they make their own nitrogen, so they're not greedy feeders)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"li2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eA plain-English grow guide\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eYou bring a container (anything with drainage holes, nothing painted) and a bag of peat-free compost, and you're away. Plastic-free, posted to mainland Great Britain.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eGardening, minus the gatekeeping.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eHave a grow, Laura x\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e","brand":"Laura Florals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54394641187143,"sku":"DFBSL08","price":26.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.lauraflorals.co.uk\/products\/dwarf-french-bean-slenderette","provider":"Laura Florals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}