I've Bean Meaning To Start This Year's Thread

It's a bit late this year but the beans are coming on now

I've tried changing the way I grow them just a little bit. For some years I've been growing them like this


They've been in rows with the canes crossed over at a height of 2.5ft - 3ft. This allowed the tops of the canes more flexibility than when I had them cross at the top - as we get some strong winds blowing across the fields at the back. It also allows more air through the beans and lets the beans that grow on the upper part of the canes to dangle down on the outside so I don't have to go searching for them on the inside.

This has worked well for years but in the last couple of years the winds have been getting exceptionally strong (climate change? ) and some of the canes have flexed too much and broken.

As I didn't want to change the method of growing I decided to add some supports. I planned to buy some 8ft posts and put them at each end of the rows. I could then run a wire between the posts and tie each cane, loosely, to the wires.

That got me thinking about another problem I get with them. No matter how often I nip out the runners they still continue to grow so, eventually, they get beans growing out from the tops and drooping down. This means that I have to bend beneath them to pick some of the beans. As I have a bad back this can be a problem. So I came up with a further idea .

I decided to put in extra posts outside of the canes so that I could then train the beans that grow past the tops of the canes on a 'cat's cradle' style framework.


There's a taught wire between the posts and I simply wound string around the top of a cane and then ran it to the wire and on to the next cane etc. There is not only the framework between the rows but also on the outside of the end rows.


Now that the plants are growing quickly I have each plant growing up to 20ft long and they're throwing up loads of flowering stems and have grown nicely over the top of the framework - with me spending about 10 minutes each day winding the runners in to the framework.




Now it just needs me to find out whether the plants can support such a profusion of flower and fruit without giving up!

 

Nowadays I stick to just growing Polestar (except when I'm doing trials on new varieties) but I used to grow quite a few different varieties

(EDIT 2023: Polestar are now no longer doing quite as well because of 'climate change' and I'm finding White Lady and Firestorm are taking the weather better. Firestorm are crossed with a French bean and tend to get going earlier and are smoother but slightly smaller and White Lady give long runners).

I did a thread a few years ago on here when I had about six varieties and showed the difference between them. In general, all varieties are good. I only used stringless varieties, which makes it so much easier for preparing, and some are better than others depending on the weather.

Some were better if we had a wet season, others if it was hot and dry. Polestar are a good all rounder and are the most popular with the people that buy the beans from me (I sell them for charity). This year the slugs got about 30 of my plants because of the wet weather. Fortunately I account for this by growing extras in the greenhouse and just replace them.

 

It should work quite well along the arched avenue as long as you can get to the runners that grow straight up from the top of the arch - and nip them out.

JWK (GC member) built his own framework and grew them successfully and I think Kristen did as well.

 

Fortunately the sun is out and I can repower the shield now as I was running out of dilithium crystals!

 

I remember you showing me the Bean area in your garden on the Open Day, Shiney, and the new method you had of supporting the plants. Glad to it has worked with such great success.