S. Anna is an early climbing French bean with tall, vigorous plants reaching about 180–190 cm, giving a generous crop on poles, teepees or netting. The pods are deep green, pencil‑shaped and very meaty, around 12–14 cm long, round in section and completely stringless when picked young.
The beans have excellent flavour and a fine, tender texture, perfect for steaming, stir‑fries and blanching for the freezer. White seeds, good productivity and suitability for freezing make S. Anna a reliable choice for kitchen gardens and small growers who want quality and yield in the same variety.
Growing information
🌱 Sowing
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Sow direct outdoors once the soil is warm and all danger of frost has passed, placing seeds at the base of canes or a mesh support.
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In Ireland and similar climates, sow from May to late July for harvests from mid‑summer into autumn.
☀️ Light
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Prefers full sun for strong growth and maximum cropping.
💧 Watering
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Water regularly, especially during flowering and pod filling, keeping soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
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A mulch around plants helps hold moisture and keeps roots cool.
🌡️ Germination
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Germinates best in warm soil, usually in 7–14 days under typical late spring and early summer conditions.
📏 Spacing & support
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Sow 2 beans per cane or station, about 5 cm deep, thinning to the strongest seedling; space canes 15–20 cm apart with 50–60 cm between rows.
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Provide sturdy supports around 1.8–2.0 m tall so the vines can climb freely and pods hang straight and clean.
Bullet Technical Data
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🌱 Sowing depth: about 5 cm
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📅 Sow (Ireland): May–late July outdoors once frost risk is over and soil has warmed.
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☀️ Light: full sun
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🌡️ Germination: typically 7–14 days in warm conditions
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📏 Height: approx. 180–190 cm climbing plants
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🪴 Spacing: 15–20 cm between plants/supports; 50–60 cm between rows
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⏳ Harvest: early variety, usually cropping from around 60–70 days after sowing, then over a long period if picked regularly
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🔢 Seeds: approx. 35 g packet, around 100 seeds per pack
When to sow
May to June direct in the ground. French beans do not like cold soil. Wait until the end of May in most of Ireland. Sow 5cm deep, 10cm apart, alongside a cane or trellis.
How to grow
Beans fix their own nitrogen so they do not need feeding. Water regularly once pods start forming. Pick often, even if you do not need all of them. The more you pick, the more the plant produces. Stop picking and the plant stops flowering.
Recipe idea
Green beans with garlic and olive oil. Blanch the beans for three minutes, drain and toss immediately with two crushed garlic cloves and good olive oil. Salt. Done. The whole point of these beans is their flavour, so do not overcook them.
