Topic: Runner Bean Beds

[tilts]

ex husbands do well....

[lancelotment]

I had a chat with a roofer who has a plot down at the site.  I managed to exchage a 4 pack of the dark stuff for 5 x 8' scaffolding poles with brackets.  Needless to say, my beans now have a 'permanent' home and I will be using the trench method from now on.  I did manage to get enough comfrey leaves to line the trenches this year an after a very slow start, have had more then enough climbing french and runners to keep the family going.  Lance

[christine]

No, don't have to rotate them.  I never do, and my mate's been growing his in the same place for 40 years and never had any problems.

[redimp]

I do not think it is a major problem but the BBC say:

Rotate crops

Choose a new site for planting each year as beans are prone to foot and root rotting diseases that build up in the soil over time.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/growfruitandveg_growingbeans.shtml

I personally rotate so that my brassicas get the nitrogenised beds the following year and to make my rotation and four year rotation instead of three.

[ipt8]

My dad always used a food trench. Just veg peelings and such-like, plant waste and what have you. Make sure it is deep enough and cover it in soil. Worked a treat. I am sure all the old boys did it. He was from the generation in the last world war when not many did not grow their own veg . Why not try half this way and half the way you usually do it and see if their is any difference....

[Mubgrub]

Another dim one: ;D

Can you use a food trench for peas too?

[windygale]

Hi David W, With references to plastic in the bottom of your bean trench go for it, ;)
 as long as you go down deep enough, (two spades deep) and puncher the plastic in a couple of places to allow excess water to run off, yes you can place in the trench any organic material (farn yard manure, garden compost, paper and cardboard, grass cuttings) my dad even used stinging nettles, :o said it gave the beans extra taste,  :P  but it no difference to a very large grow bag and we all use them, ;D i saw the same thing on reruns of Gardeners World on sky the other night, allotments around Birmingham & Manchester, he even earthed up his carrots and parsnips and the size was very good ;D
the only thing to remember is the digging rotation you have to get the plastic out (not sure if you can grow beans in the same place for consecutive years because of diseases) :-\
hope this helps
windy

[Ed^Chigliak]

I made 7' tall frames using bamboo canes & zip ties that can be moved around. Tools you need are a tape measure, marker pen, electric  drill, 3.5mm drill bit, pair of pliers and a saw. It doesn't take that long to make a free standing frame. I tried to make it very cheaply and to be re-usable without building a frame each year.

You need 21 no. 7' canes in total and a couple of spares just in case. Choose canes that have not split and do not taper too narrow at the thin end. You also need lots of zip ties but fortunately a pack of 200 is really rather cheap.

Pick out the best 3 canes with the largest diameter and put them to one side. These will be the 2 base and 1 ridge canes holding all the vertical canes in place. Drill 3.5mm holes in the 2 base canes starting 2" from the fat end at 8" intervals until you have 8 holes. Drill 3.5mm holes in the ridge cane starting 2" from the fat end at 4" intervals until you have 16 holes. Cut off the extra length of cane 2" beyond the last hole.

Take 16 canes and in each drill a 3.5mm hole 1" from the fat end. Push then pull a zip tie all the way through each hole using pliers. Then thread these zip ties through the holes in the base canes so as to fasten 8 'vertical' canes to each of the base canes. Arrange all the canes flat on the ground as you work. You now have two sides to the frame minus the ridge cane.

Place one side of the frame flat on the ground and arrange the canes parallel to each other and perpendicular (@ 90 degrees) to the base cane. Place the ridge cane across the top of the 8 canes 2" from the narrow ends. Drill a 3.5mm through each of the 8 canes close to the intersection with the ridge and zip tie the 8 canes to alternate holes in the ridge cane. Repeat the process to join the other half of the frame to the same ridge cane. Don't zip tie too tight since there really is no need and a bit of slack will help it hinge when you stand it up.

You now have the worlds most wobbly free standing runner bean frame but the wobbly problem can be solved with you've guessed it a couple more canes and a few more zip ties.  ;D

Lay the almost complete two sided frame flat on the ground and square it up so it's not skewed to either side. Fasten a 7' cane diagonally across each side of the frame between the two outer most canes with a few more holes and zip ties. The wobble problem is solved and you can now stand the frame up. Simply open out the frame so the base canes are 18-24" apart and it will stand.

Hammer some stakes (I used pallet wood) into the ground and anchor the frame to the stakes using would you believe it... more cable ties. You can move the frame and leave the stakes in situ.

Blimey  :o

What's more I tried 4 different designs of runner bean frames and this is my favourite design.

Double blimey  :o :o

[BAGGY]

I use an old goal post and it's net and thread 8' canes through the net and lean them on the goal post at an angle.  This leaves enough space between the two sides for me to employ child labour (neice) to pick from within.