Indeed it does. All members of the pea family that are grown for veg can be treated like this.

thank you for that. much appreciated

glad you asked that question Yorkshire, thats one job less. thank you for the answer Fracal.

All legumes should be treated like this; the roots produce nitrogen in nodules and this is returned to the soil.

thank you, we have always pulled them out but we won't this year, never to old to learn.

Never too old, Y :-). pull just one of them us and look at the fiberous roots. They will have tiny round groths on them - these are the nitrogen fixing nodules which, if left, will rot down and return nitrogen to the soil.

you have been very helpful thank you.

Sweet peas too? Mine are useless this year :-(

Yes, Sweet peas also.

In fact, runner beans are perennial plants and if you protect the roots from severe frosts, the runners will start growing again next year.
I've done this a couple of times, but have to admit that though you get slightly earlier plants, they don't have the vigour of new ones from seed.

I didn't know that Bertie, is your climate much different from the midlands in the UK?. I guess if I covered the roots with plenty of straw would that work?

I learnt about this from a pig farmer who lived near Bath. He planted his runners along the side of the pig sheds and the warmth from the pigs kept the roots alive during winter. So he had runners growing in the same place every year. I'd guess it would work in the Midlands as they are really just like dahlia roots.

Thanks Bertie, I will definitely keep that in mind for the future.

We've got lots of pig farms round here. I wonder what Grampian Country would make of my request to grow beans 8-).