Author Topic: runner beans support  (Read 3682 times)

rdak

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runner beans support
« on: December 29, 2003, 12:10:47 »
was thinking of trying to grow some runner beans, and perhaps trailing squash, up sunflowers for support. Has anyone tried this?
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

tim

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2003, 14:53:32 »
- glutton for punishment?? = Tim
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rdak

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2003, 14:56:50 »
sorry Tim..what do you mean?
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cleo

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2003, 19:59:35 »
My only concern would be getting the timing right,by the time your sunflowers are big enough to take on the role of supports I would have thought your beans would be well on their way.

Try it by all means but grow your first sowing up canes or whatever you usually use.

Stephan.
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

Mrs Ava

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2003, 20:45:44 »
My only worry would be growing sunflowers big enough for the runners!
My runners go mad and grow and grow and grow.  I always mean to pinch the tops out when they reach the tops of the supports....and I never get around to it!
And I don't know whether the sunflowers would be strong enough to support squashes, they make heavy (vicious) plants.  And I agree with Stephan, if you grow the whopper sunflowers, it would be a matter of getting the timing right.  You will probably end up supporting the sunflower and the beans and squashes with bamboos anyhow.  Sounds like a great idea tho, maybe something less aggressive would be better like french beans (are they less aggressive!)   :-/
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

rdak

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2003, 21:42:21 »
sounds like it's all in the timing!
maybe will give it a go if I'm feeling brave! will post pics if it's a success!
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Hyacinth

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2003, 21:57:51 »
if you give it a go, post the pics anyway...success or failure they're gonna have a certain novelty appeal ;) ;D - Lishka
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tim

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2003, 11:49:05 »
- sorry, rdak, didn't mean  to be obtuse .

An artistic approach and, as the sages say, give it a whirl? But I have enough problem ensuring that my sunflowers don't get the 'leans' without putting a spinnaker on them! = Tim

« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

Mrs Ava

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2004, 23:54:34 »
Rdak, just been looking in my book on companion planting, a very american book, called Carrots love Tomatoes and under pole beans, which to me look just like runner beans, it says the dislike sunflowers immensly.  Just a thought.   :-/
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

john_miller

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Re: runner beans support
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2004, 00:43:20 »
Both are Phaseolus vulgaris selections. Pole beans are better adapted for hot climates though (runners for me shed their flowers until mid-August, when we start getting cooler nights) so there may be other differences. Perhaps they don't like sunflowers because they are so strongly upright? As I mentioned before, this will affect a plant's hormonal balance and increase vegetative growth at the expense of reproductive growth.
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 01:00:00 by 1077926400 »

 

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