GARDENING tips from old stagers are worth their weight in green gold.

When I heard Ken Fentwell's voice booming out across the Sandlands allotments — as I frequently do — I had a feeling something worthwhile was afoot.

Ken is one of the longest serving allotmenteers there.

In the 30 years he has been a plotholder, as he says, nearly everyone else has either died or moved on.

But he has doggedly continued despite the fact he is now 86 and it takes him longer to carry out all the tasks that need doing.

One that has remained constant through the years is planting runner beans on his birthday — and that may come as a surprise to many who race to get their beans planted as early as possible to enjoy crops in the summer.

For Ken always plants his on July 19 — that's right, July — and enjoys lots of beans at the other end of the season when most others are on the wane.

It is a worthwhile tip for most gardeners if they want a longer harvesting season to plant not all in one go in the spring.

Ken's beans, being later, have not suffered from the wind damage that all suffered in the recent gales and continue to crop profusely while mine are all but finished.

He has beans aplenty and will have loads to save and dry for next year too.

He has two favourites — the older variety Scarlet Emperor and the newer one, Lady Di.

Both traditionally red-flowered, Scarlet Emperor and Lady Di are both excellent for eating, freezing and for exhibition.

Lady Di is prone to having longer pods — and one on Ken's patch was nearly as long as my forearm.