Going to put up the canes for the runner beans today and I thought I'd ask first if there are any preferences for supports. In the past I've made mini wigwams of four canes joined at the top with a horizontal cane, joining the wigwams for more stability and so making a line. This year I was thinking of 8 cane wigwams independent of each other which I think will use the space better. Anyone do anything different or have any preferences?
Cheers!
I use a pair of steel 10 ft poles about 15 ft apart driven into the ground and concreted in, Then I stretch a wire between the pole and threaded on the wire is a strip of plastic 3 inch wide thick netting. I push the bamboo through the hole in the net and plunge the pole into the ground. I just put up my line it will hold and I`ll have 90 plants going up them
I am on a very windy site so I have independent wigwams, so if one set blow over it does not take the whole row down.
But I think the beans like a top horizontal to grow along.
Thanks, in the end I went for 8 canes and a horizontal one at the top. I noticed on the seed packet that it suggests sowing 2 to 3 per cane. I've always sown 2 so assume the third is a stand-by in case one fails - have sown Enorma and Polestar by the way.