Allotments 4 All

I have planted a fair few beans- runner and French. They are definitely 'climbers'.

I have tied them to wigwams, and tried to wrap them around the canes but they just wont climb and spiral. Every time I go to the site I spend ages tying and wrapping them, but the next day they are all on the soil again.

What am I doing wrong?

Are you aware that they spiral in a anti clockwise direction.

If you are winding them up in a clockwise direction then your beans are acting normally, and unwinding themselves in an anti clockwise manner.

This is the only thing I can think of!

Make sure you wrap them anti clockwise around the canes or else they'll unwind themselves? ;D Seriously, my french climbers are doing the same, I suppose they will sort themselves out eventually.

Oops! Cross posted, sorry TG :)

Yep, I read that you should wrap them anti-clockwise, and have done so.

They've only been in a week or so, so I should probably be a little more patient....?

My runners took a couple of weeks to work out which way was anticlockwise..

Have only grown them once before but having just stuck the beans in the ground, not watered, weeded or fed them, I came back a few weeks later to find a good crop amongst the bindweed, so I think they are quite tough. Am starting to wonder if they dont like being watched!

I always ensure there is plenty of muck under em so they grow very fast and climb up the canes as they please. Been growing painted lady for years and have never had any problems with getting good height or amount. The local old folks home have been getting the beans from me last year and all the ladies like the ones I grow as there is very little waste or stringing. Bees are the only problem for them as they tend to knock off the flower, but I do not mind this as there are plenty of flowers there. put in two rows of beans, one for the house and one for the old folks down the road.