Beans

[lovebirdbirds]

Hi All,

I hope there is someone out there who can help. We have been out this evening and put the 8ft bean canes up ready for my beans to go in. I was looking at the gaps between the rows of beans and was wondering if there are any seeds or plants that I could plant between canes of beans to utilise the space? Any other advice regarding Beans would be great as I have never grown beans before. Many thanks.

[coomber]

Hi Lovebirdbirds

I sow lettuce in between my beans, don't think they mind the shade - well mine do ok anyway

[sewer rat]

Lettuce are an ideal crop for betwen your beans as they are fast growing and will appreciate the shade that the bean plants will afford tham. I have three varieties of lettuce between my beans in the tunnel - Amorina (red frilly leaves) Charita (green frilly leaves) and Little Gem (Cos) -all are thriving and will give me a crop before my beans get too unruly.

[queen lottie the 3rd]

Hi (first time sending a message) Was told if you plant sweet peas with your beans it will encourage hoverflies which will eat any blackfly that you might get on your beans.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm growing beans between my beans! I have a bean growing up each cane, then every 8" or 9" apart, I tie a string to the top and peg it to the ground with a tent-peg, and grow a bean up each string.
Lettuce in the middle/shade is great, but watch out for slugs.

[Flummery]

Last year I popped some pumpkin plants in there (because I ran out of space!). They did well - I thought it would be too shady but apparently not!

[keener]

This year we are going to grow courgettes under the runners. Last year the courgettes/pumpkin romped away and took up too much space, so we're going for the two for the price of one approach.
cheers

[zazen999]

Lettuce and beetroot for me, this year I have an odd potato so I'm letting it get on with life in between the beans - it's too big to pull out. Plus any squash plants that don't fit anywhere else.