Bean trenches

[HeyWayne]

Ok, help me out here. I've seen several posts where bean trenches are mentioned and I've had a bit of a search, but I'm still none the wiser...

Last year I grew runner and dwarf french beans, and some sugarsnap peas - all without the aid of a bean trench. All plants were productive and seemed to thrive (apart from the peas which developed white mould).

I've seen informartion suggesting "trench composting" (the same thing essentially) and suggestions include layering kitchen scraps (un composted) with rotted matter and soil. Surely it's too late to do that now?

Seems like a bit of a dark art.

I could make one at the weekend - convince me why I should...

[snake the squadie]

mate its pritty much just as the name and you suggests(well thats how i have been doing it for years)and it couldnt more more simple just do as you say then cover with muck and no its not to late i havent started mine yet(bit hard i know) but prob wont till march time any way. just hope i havent been doing it all wrong these past few years

[lumpyjumper]

I've been chucking my kitchen waste into a trench in my raised beds in the last fortnight and the first lot is already well rotted, probably the wet weather helped.

Compost bin already too full hence using raised bed and want to grow beans and peas there this year anyway.

Compost bin lid blew off into the road some 20 feet below! Car ran over it....no more compost bin lid!

[snake the squadie]

just use one of your old lumpy jumpers

[Hans Mum]

if you line your trench with newspaper too it helps retain some of the moisture and it rots down eventually. i started mine about this time last year and as soon as i can will be starting this year nad runners dont go in until may/june in these parts, so plenty of time to rot down

[zazen999]

Hi
Could you just dig a trench and fill with newspaper and some rotting compost from the composter and then cover it up? I don't like leaving it open for too long as the wildlife gets in [the neighbours do it and I don't]? Then leave it until the beans go in?

[rustylady]

A lot depends on your soil. Mine is very light, and beans (and squashes) really do appreciate the extra moisture and nourishment that the bean trench provides.

[Two_Sheds]

The Bean Trench is more to conserve moisture than to provide nutrients. Therefore, scrunched up or shredded newspaper is very effective. It acts like a sponge, soaking up water and holding onto it rather than it draining away into the soil.

Heywayne, your white mould was most likely powdery mildew...my peas got it too, due to all the rain we had.

[veg4681]

The Bean Trench is more to conserve moisture than to provide nutrients.

Ah...thanks for the clarification, I too was wondering what's the big fuss was with bean trench . Mind you my soils are good moisture retentive type and bean trench or no trench, my runner beans did so well that I had to reduce the watering to slow them down . No bean trench for me then.

[bubblewrap]

Last year I dug a trench about a spade & a half deep & lined with shredded newspaper then put about 2" of well rotted manure on top then filled trench in.
I left for a month or so before planting the been seedlings out.
I had a very good crop.

[bluemoon]

Hi
Could you just dig a trench and fill with newspaper and some rotting compost from the composter and then cover it up? I don't like leaving it open for too long as the wildlife gets in [the neighbours do it and I don't]? Then leave it until the beans go in?

This is exactly what we do as the 'wildlife' in question are rodents. I've said it before elsewhere - I'm not a rodent-friendly kinda gal. Ugh. We do it a month or so before the trench is needed so that rain can thoroughly wet it and we line the trench with comfrey leaves (another advantage to doing it this way is that the comfrey is ready). We also use fairly raw compost that is only just (or even not quite) ready