Do you crop rotate runner beans?

[Nicky]

I'm new to allotments and whereas I've grown runner beans in my parents garden in the past and moved the site each year I'm being told by people on the allotment field to have a permanent area for them. They gave me two long steel scaffold poles and told me to put those in the ground for the ends to stop the canes falling over.
I didn't get time to put those in this year and my beans are the ones that look as if they won't be standing next time I go down there as they're catching the wind. Is it right to have a permanent spot for beans or should I rotate them?

[martini]

Hi Nicky - I'm only just starting out but have been reading and asking lots about rotation. From what I can gather the runner beans are part of the legume family and should be involved in your rotation plan. I think the main reason for rotation is to stop a build up of pests in the soil which will attack one particular plant family. Do a search on 'rotation' - there are lots of threads and posts about it.

[Snadger]

I agree with martini, they should in my view be rotated with the legumes.

Having said that, like you, I have heard of them being grown in the same spot each year. I would imagine the exhibition growers probably do that as they prepare the soil for runners with a lot of water retaining compost, even newspapers in the trench I'm told. With the amount of leaf area being elevated above ground they dry out very easily, osmosis I think its called.

I personally rotate along with the rest of the legumes and get good crops!

[martini]

Thanks Snadger - glad I got it right Was a bit afraid of being shot down in flames Just goes to show I'm learning and actually retaining!

[nick the grief]

Ah but did you

What you can do is

1. Concrete these two posts in
2. Dig a trench
3. Line it with thick plastic, (doesn't have to be black so an offcut of tarpaulin is OK)
4. Stab it with the fork for drainage
5. Fill with all your waste matter & cap like normal
6. Grow your crop
7. Next year, empty this our & put somewhere else
8. Goto to step 1 & repeat.

Permanent bean trench & rotation - winner

[Mrs Dobby]

NTG, I'm impressed!!!! What a simple and elegant solution!

[nick the grief]

just like me

[Snadger]

I hear what you say Nic, but I still think I'll stick with site rotation!

[Snadger]

Runner beans can give a lot of shade in the garden as its like having an 8'-0" wall when they are in full leaf.

Funnily enough, the shade from my next door neighbours runner beans this year has worked to my advantage as in the summer drought this part shaded area grew better crops!

You need to be aware of where the sun rises and sets when planting them!

[Mrs Dobby]

just like me

Lol NTG, I'd expect nothing less from you!

[Earthbabe]

Hello Nicky and welcome to the vine. I see what NTG says but I also rotate mine with my peas and beans. I know of a couple of plotholders on my site who have a fixed position but I have never seen them clear out old earth etc and both have had very poor crops this year and problems with soil deficiencies/disease. The beans grown by the three of us were all from the same stock grown by one of the other plotholders. My runners are still cropping.

Nuff said really.

[Nicky]

OK - so I rotate them with the legumes...

Which was what I thought but wanted to check as no one on our field does. Mind you the allotment secretary is very persuasive about her permanent site method. On from there what's the best way to put your canes so they don't blow over but you still get a good crop? I had mine in pairs tied to another cane at the top that ran allong the row. I've seen in magazines people using a cone type structure but I would have thought that that restricted the growth a the canes are close together at the top.

[Earthbabe]

I have been using a wigwam of bamboos, but next year am going to try a trench.

Either is acceptable, so I believe, wigwams can look very pretty when in full flower.

[Snadger]

Which was what I thought but wanted to check as no one on our field does. Mind you the allotment secretary is very persuasive about her permanent site method. On from there what's the best way to put your canes so they don't blow over but you still get a good crop? I had mine in pairs tied to another cane at the top that ran allong the row. I've seen in magazines people using a cone type structure but I would have thought that that restricted the growth a the canes are close together at the top.

I know this may sound daft but on our allotments we are only allowed structures ie green houses, shed etc at one end and all allotmenteers must have them at the same end. I think it was originally introduced so there wasn't a hotch-potch of buildings everywhere.........so, maybe the secretary is more concerned about the look of the allotments and likes everyone to keep an orderly row with there runner beans at one end?. Just a thought, all though sounds a bit regimented to me!.

Your Secretary isn't L.J. is she? Lol

[nick the grief]

Hello Nicky and welcome to the vine. I see what NTG says but I also rotate mine with my peas and beans. I know of a couple of plotholders on my site who have a fixed position but I have never seen them clear out old earth etc and both have had very poor crops this year and problems with soil deficiencies/disease. The beans grown by the three of us were all from the same stock grown by one of the other plotholders. My runners are still cropping.

Nuff said really.

Thats why I said the change the soild Earthbabe. - the same goes for greenhouse borders as well. Peopl complain about poor crops but they grow in hte same soil year after year. The only advantage with this method is you can make a really strong framework.

Personally I tend to move them around as well.