Growing Climbing Beans/Peas

[zazen999]

I saw this idea on another forum, whereby the beans are grown on a frame such as the one one I've made this year.

First, find north on your plot.

Then, on the south side of the bed, put in a tall frame. On the north side of the bed, put a shorter frame. Then, from the top of the tall frame, bring string/twine across over the top of the shorter frame and when you pop your beans or peas in, bury the twine under the plant.

The bean/pea will grow up the twine, over the top of the small frame, across [towards the south] to the top of the tall frame.

This also leaves you space underneath to harvest the crops, and to grow other crops under the frame. In this instance, I can leave my onions in the ground until they are ready for harvesting whilst still growing beans and peas around them.

I didn't want to explain without a photo...but here's one I made last weekend. I've pegged the twine as these beans went in [in anticipation of a frame] back in the winter.

...just thought I'd share as I've not seen this on here before...

[FionaH]

Oh now thats clever!

[snohare]

Does the twine not rot ?

[zazen999]

Does the twine not rot ?

Eventually - you'd compost it with the remaining pea and bean plants...if it works I'll be making more permanent structures.

[SarzWix]

Do you sacrifice growing on the other side of the tall frame? I have a huge bean frame (looks a bit like a ridge tent!) 3m long, that I was planning on having more or less East/West facing (and it wouldn't quite fit North/South), do you think I could still do this, on both sides?

[zazen999]

Do you sacrifice growing on the other side of the tall frame? I have a huge bean frame (looks a bit like a ridge tent!) 3m long, that I was planning on having more or less East/West facing (and it wouldn't quite fit North/South), do you think I could still do this, on both sides?

I don't see why not....try it and post back results!

[Eco-Chic]

Cool, I shall be trying something like that.

[SarzWix]

I don't see why not....try it and post back results!

Hmmmmm.... I'll ponder it - it'll be going on 'Next Door Man Plot' which has big beds, but I haven't measured em yet. The one I'm thinking of using tapers off into a semi controlled bramble patch If it will fit I'll do it - seems like a good way of getting more crop from the climbing beans because they'll be able to get taller.

[Geordie]

for those of you that grow peas / beans up a cane wigwam......this year turn it upside down, so the narrow section is at the bottom. That way the crops will grow outward and the pods will hang down outside the frame making picking easier.

[kentvegplot]

What an interesting idea - I might try that with my tall peas (bean row has permanent fixings to save the annual mucking about!)

[Jillyreeves]

What a fantastic idea :-)

[Rossa]

Brilliant idea. Just got the stuff to build like a tent structure for climbing peas and beans. Will now adapt as you suggest. Great stuff on this forum, thanks.

[basketcase]

for those of you that grow peas / beans up a cane wigwam......this year turn it upside down, so the narrow section is at the bottom. That way the crops will grow outward and the pods will hang down outside the frame making picking easier.

Would this work if the beans were in a container?

[zazen999]

No reason why not Basketcase...as long as the wigwam is on all sides.

The whole idea is to have the canes at an angle and taking up the least amount of ground space. Anything round that idea, is worth a try.

[Eyren]

All these clever schemes have given me the idea of building a rectangular frame with a series of V-shaped lengths of twine down the middle - sort of a reverse of the "tent" frame usually used for rows of beans. I think it would be a bit more stable than canes leaning outwards!

Like this (cross-section):

  _ _ _ _ _ _
  |\        /|
  | \      / |
  |  \    /  |
  |   \  /   |
..|..o.\/.o..|..

The verticals and horizontals are canes, the diagonals are string, and the little circles are where you sow/plant the beans - as with the other schemes, the beans should then hang down the outside...

I'll take some photos as I do it, then if it works, I'll put it on my website as another project