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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: ACE on February 15, 2019, 11:15:29

Title: Beans
Post by: ACE on February 15, 2019, 11:15:29
Don't worry they are still in their packets. But I am thinking of having a dedicated area just for beans. I have some long lengths of rebar and the idea is to build a structure that I can tie the canes to each year and grow the beans up. Then after the harvest and the canes are stacked for the winter I will dig  big trench and fill it with all the rubbish and compost ready to use again next year.  What are your thoughts.
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Pescador on February 15, 2019, 17:16:29
Sounds quite sensible. Have you thought of doing a Munty frame to make picking easier?
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: ACE on February 15, 2019, 18:12:17
No munty frame for me, they look like they take up too much room. Crossed poles and a top runner will do me. Sometimes a teepee frame if I have room and some different beans to try.
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Obelixx on February 15, 2019, 19:13:04
Sounds like a good plan Ace.  Rebar is such useful stuff.

 I rather fancied a Munty frame for my own beans but started quietly last year in our new veggie plot with a couple of obelisks with beans sown at each post.  Nothing germinated.

Heat?  Drought?  Mice?  Might try sowing in pots in a more controlled environment and then plant out later.

Title: Re: Beans
Post by: NightWish on February 15, 2019, 19:47:11
A plotholder next to me did this for many years.  His frame was made up of old scaffolding pipes.  He always had an excellent crop.
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: MervF on February 15, 2019, 20:28:11
About 20 years ago, I managed to get some stretcher poles for a contribution which one of the local hospitals were discarding due to the new style stretchers.   Being aluminium, they serve the purpose well.   I also managed to get some fishing net from a friend of mine which will probably outlast me!!
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Tee Gee on February 15, 2019, 22:20:22
My frame was made from a  swing my kids played on when they were little and that is 40+ years ago.

All I did was remove the cross bar and replaced it with a longer one. The legs were bolted together with fish plates so I removed the plates and drilled the top of the legs and joined each pair of legs with one bolt in each.

This meant the posts swivelled on this bolt meaning I could spread the legs as much as I wanted for stability.

At the end of the season the legs folded together and this along wth the crossbar was stored until required the following season.

For the record the new tenant on my plot has inherited them.

(http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/B/Beans-Runner/Bean%20&%20Pea%20frames.jpg)
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: NightWish on February 16, 2019, 11:49:32
I was thinking about Munty frames.  They are supposed to face south?  Does that mean the short poles poles are at the south end, or the tall ones?
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: saddad on March 10, 2019, 11:27:54
If you can get one an old polytunnel frame is excellent... netting up the outside the beans will grow up and over, the leaves outside and the beans hang down inside for easy harvesting.
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Plot 18 on March 10, 2019, 18:28:30
I was thinking about Munty frames.  They are supposed to face south?  Does that mean the short poles poles are at the south end, or the tall ones?
The tall ones are at the south end so the sun can get underneath the frame, then you can grow things underneath as long as you are careful not to tread on them when you pick the beans ;)
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: johhnyco15 on March 11, 2019, 14:28:48
this year will be a standard A frame 14ft long steel bar  28 10ft 1/2 inch  fibre glass poles the type used for green flags in golf  ive tried allsorts of frames shapes and sizes but this one always seems to be the best sturdy as im by the coast  and put together in an hour fibre glass poles robust and dont rot
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Digeroo on March 13, 2019, 11:13:26
I need to try something stronger.  We have wind problems and they easily get blown over.
Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Tee Gee on March 13, 2019, 15:55:41
Quote
I need to try something stronger.  We have wind problems and they easily get blown over.

I use an idea from my Boy scout days; I use guy ropes!

In the attached photo you can just make out a steel stake driven into the ground between the two sets of canes. Then I suspend two wires from the top of the frame and tie these to the said stake.

I find the 'A' frames can not go inwards, outwards or sideways choose how windy it is!

Title: Re: Beans
Post by: Paulh on March 14, 2019, 16:04:39
On the traditional frame, tying some canes diagonally across the canes on each side gives the frame rigidity in that direction as well.
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