Mountaineer Half Runner Bean is an open-pollinated bean variety originally grown in South Carolina, as it was brought to the area by Dutch immigrants. This German heirloom bean has a bush growing habit with long, vining runners. As a result, it can be grown like a traditional bush bean or trellised to save space.

Mountaineer Half Runner Bean has vigorous plants and large yields of 4″ beans. These beans are stringless when picked young for green bean or “snap bean” production. This is a great variety for fresh eating or canning. Beans may be left whole or snapped in half. If allowed to get larger, pods will produce white beans which can be dried and used in soups or canning.

Mountaineer Half Runner Bean performs well in hot, humid areas that may experience prolonged dry periods. When growing vertically, we recommend using our Hortonova Trellis Netting, which is easy to install for any size planting. During the heat of summer, beans may stop production and drop blooms. But production will usually resume once temperatures cool in early fall.

Beans should be planted in spring after the last frost has occurred. Beans will germinate best once soil temps have reached 65 F or higher. Optimal germination temperature is around 77 F. Seeds can require 8 to 16 days to germinate, depending on the soil temperature.