French Bean support

[Solitaire]

When do I start putting up supports for my French Beans, they are only about 4 inches tall at the moment

[Nicos]

Are they 'normal' ones - or climbing???
Normal ones we don't support,but plants closely enough for them to support each other.
Climbing ones we put in when we plant the beans into the ground

[Solitaire]

The packet says Haricot Nain A Filet Sans Fil which translated says "without wire"

[Nicos]

'Nain' - those are the knee high ones and shouldn't need staking.
'Rames' indicates climbing

The sans fil means you've bought a stringless variety- which is excellent- cos no-one likes a mouthful of tough stringy bits!

[Solitaire]

Thanks Nicos

[TonyF]

Fwiw, I always put my peas and climbing beans (including French) supports in when I plant the seedlings out, saves a lot of faffing about later I think.

Must try to get some pics of the supports and stuff I'm using this year, may be of interest to some people.

[Flummery]

I do that too Tony. It's easier to plant the climbers out next to the canes rather than trying to erect a wigwam or whatever when the plants are in place.

[Nicos]

I worry about breaking some of the precious roots ( and stems) if I stick canes in later on. Not sure if it makes much difference- but worth considering.

[zazen999]

I agree - frame first [and mine sayed up for ages during all those bad winds] and plant out second.

For my dwarf and bush beans this year, I am putting a cane surround [1 on each corner] and about 2 or 3 rounds of string to hold them up. My lottie is very windy and I don't want them being blown flat against the tall peas and the climbing beans. It looks a bit like a cats cradle, as I also put string from corner to corner.

[Bren In Pots]

I'd planned to put my runners in their final tubs today but its really windy here so it looks like a job for tomorrow now.

[SarzWix]

I usually put a flower stick at each end of the row with a string then running either side of the beans, because even dwarf ones get blown over on my plot, and then there's more chance of the slugs having a munch...