Runner bean root disease?

Phasmid

I was tidying up today and pulled up the roots from my runner plants from last year. The roots were all deformed I thought it was club root but everywhere I look online it says this doesn't effect beans.

I forgot to take a photo and chucked them in the landfill bin so I've tried to draw what it looked like, maybe someone will recognise?

 

Does anyone know what this is? Should I avoid planting beans there again? Or is this NORMAL?!?!??!!!

 

Phasmid

This was my first time growing them so I don't know if the yeald was bad but there were three plants and I got no more than 15-20 beans. Also the leaves seemed to wilt very quickly but perked up when watered. 

Dovefromabove

Runner bean roots grow quite bulky and tuberous, with lots of little tiny fibrous roots - like the ones pictured on this blog http://marksvegplot.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/runner-beans-reach-finishing-line.html .  If yours looked something like that they were perfectly normal 

BobTheGardener

Normal - that's how they grow.  Runners need lots of organic matter and many growers make trench at least a foot deep in autumn and throw all of their vegetable waste into it, as well as shredded newspaper, cardboard and home made compost.  All of that stuff helps retain water which they need lots of.  You can't really over-water them but lack of water will result in a poor crop with many flowers dropping before they get pollinated by bees (which is 100% essential.)

Andrew Kenneth

 

 

 

Phasmid wrote (see)

I was tidying up today and pulled up the roots from my runner plants from last year. The roots were all deformed I thought it was club root but everywhere I look online it says this doesn't effect beans.

I forgot to take a photo and chucked them in the landfill bin so I've tried to draw what it looked like, maybe someone will recognise?

 

Does anyone know what this is? Should I avoid planting beans there again? Or is this NORMAL?!?!??!!!

See the thread below. I also dug some that were like this

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/fruit-andamp-veg/runner-beans/257614.html

Phasmid

Thank you to everyone. the joys of being a new gardener - new discoveries everyday! 

Pete.8

I've always left the roots in from year to year. Just dig them in the the spring and pull out what's left of the stem.

My memory isn't what it was..... but I believe the roots are covered in nodules that contain fungi etc and basically are little nodules full of nitrogen, so I leave them in the soil. 
I've no idea where I learned that from but it works a treat.