How high do climbing beans grow?

[Wendie]

My climbers are now 6 foot tall, this being the 1st year of growing them, I'm concerned how high they will grow. I've put up 7 ft canes and a pole across the top of the canes. Will they automatically grow across the horizontal one or will they want to keep growing upwards? They've all got flowers coming out, will it affect the flowers/beans if they grow too tall?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[hamsterqueen]

pinch out the growing tips when they are as high as you want them.You get more beans that way too.

Once asked my dad how high my runner bean canes should be...about as high as you can reach apparently!

[Wendie]

If you let them grow, would there not be as many beans as all the goodness would go into growing the stalks, or would it not make any difference?

[hamsterqueen]

I always used to let mine grow , but read that by pinching the tops out the plant bushes out so you get more beans overall, it seemed to work last year

[Bren In Pots]

I pinch mine out when they are 6 inch from the top of the cane, they carry on growing a bit and reach the top.

[Jardiniere]

crikey - my beans are only two inches tall at the moment!

[Florence Fennel]

Good Advice from Bren, Wendie. If you don't stop them, they'll carry on to infinity and wave about (I did this once with a wigwam and it blew over as it was top heavy) and you will not get nearly as many beans.

[Wendie]

Thanks for your replies, chaps. I've pinched one out, only 5 more to go. They are growing great guns, just hope I get plenty of beans off them as they are in big tubs. I think I planted the seeds a bit too early - 17th April but it was my first time. We learn from our mistakes don't we?

[binley100]

I'm sooooooooo Jealous