Runner/French Bean Frame - best option?

[Two_Sheds]

I have today got Mr Sheds to take me to the local wood shop to purchase the necessaries to make the bean frame in the latest Grow Your Own.
£30 !!! to make a bean frame!!!
I came away with the usual ... 8 foot canes at 25p each.

I place 4 canes 16" apart each way, then tie them together at the top. Dig out the soil in the middle and replace with well-rotted compost, or shredded paper. Plant a bean at each cane. Then I put another plant in between each cane (so the plants are 8" apart each way) - these will climb up some twine tied to the wigwam at the top and secured to a tent peg in the ground.

That's 6 beans to a wigwam = £1 worth of cane. I know, I know about the carbon footprint of bringing bamboo from China. But they will last me several years. Why doesn't somebody produce British canes?

[Madasafish]

If you look on ebay, there are suppliers much cheaper... and if you collect even cheaper.
I'm using cut off branches from tree prunings plus bamboos etc...

[Mikey]

I've always planted two beans per cane, this seems to give a good crop, but keeps space to a minimum.

I always surround my rows with plug marigolds and nasturtiums, these are cheap when I get my beans into the ground, and offer great protection from slugs.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for starting this thread Two_Sheds, I was going to ask a bean question too but it is being answered here - I wondered how many beans per cane. I dug my bean trench yesterday and put grass cuttings in the bottom, I am now slowly sieving all the soil back on top of this (hope I am doing it right, never grown tall beans before). I was hoping to use branches from my privet trimming instead of bamboo but today Madmax and I took some stuff to the tip and there in one of the big skips was a huge pile of canes - must be 8 footers at least! We dug out a whole load and they will get used for my beans - lucky find

[FoxHillGardener]

...I was hoping to use branches from my privet ...

I've used privet branches before and found they root suprisingly easily. ooops

[shirlthegirl43]

I've used privet branches before and found they root suprisingly easily. ooops

Mine were cut last year, they are good as pea sticks

[BarleySugar]

We aren't allowed to take anything from the tip. Once it's there it stays, health and safety I think. They really tightened up when one of the workers was killed by a falling skip when the chain gave way a few years ago. I suppose they are afraid that a member of the public might fall in while trying to 'rescue' something.
I usually put 2 beans to a cane, but last year there was so much growth they kept trying to fall over. I'm trying one only this year. Some french and some runners.

[Paulottie]

I've used privet branches before and found they root suprisingly easily. ooops

Streuth , many years back, I put a load of later season privet in my compost without shredding or anything. The whole lot threw roots and didn't rot at all! live and learn.

[Paulottie]

There are bamboos that are not too puny and cut nicely for cane...Infact I was given a huge bunch that I have been selling for the allotment fund 10ft @ 20p. You need a pretty big garden to grow it though as they can be very invasive plants.

My big tip for bean structures is to cross your canes 1/2 way up rather than near the top and thus most of your beans hang on the outside- rather than in the middle where you can't find them.

[Two_Sheds]

cross your canes 1/2 way up rather than near the top and thus most of your beans hang on the outside- rather than in the middle where you can't find them.

that's a top tip, thank you!

[Two_Sheds]

If you look on ebay, there are suppliers much cheaper... I'm using cut off branches from tree prunings

they just aren't big enough ... I need 8 footers. eBay is actually dearer than my local shop (25p ea), because of high postage costs (canes are heavy)

[Finedon.Dandy]

Heres an idea....once us girls had grown out of our swing my Dad grabbed it quick and put netting down three sides. His crop gives four whole families (Him, me and my sisters) so many beans they cannot keep up! By only growing up three sides you can get inside to the beans on the inside too. Keep an eye out on freecycle or ebay for 2nd hand swings - it wont matter too much what state they are in after all.