Keeping beans in one place

[Janna]

On the raido the other day I was listening to an old timer from the allottments, and he mentioned that he had been growing his beans (french and runners) in one place for the last 18 years.
I used to grow mine on arches, in the same spot each year, until this summer when the crop was so amazing that the whole lot collapsed!
I was going to get the oh to build a big permanant arch for them and keep them in one spot, but I am trying to rotate the veg properly next year. There is really only one place that the arch will work though. As long as I am using lots of horse poo and garden compost is it viable to keep them in one spot, or should I go back to wigwams in the rotation system?

[Dianne1234567]

I had a similar problem with my arch in that it collapsed under the weight of my beans. I had just come back from camping so me and OH put some guy ropes on it to hold it up, and it worked a treat. OK maybe not a great long term solution, but it did the job.

As for the crop rotation part of your query, I can't really help you there. I have another load of beans in wigwams which I must confess that I have grown in the same place for about 4 years and always had a good crop from them - like you I use lots of horse poo and chicken pellets.

[Jeanied]

I tend to grow mine in the same spot for a few years - mainly because it is such a pain to reposition my beanpole structure. As long as the beans get what they need (sounds like they are!) then there shouldn't be a problem. As for rotations, I thought that beans were rotated to benefit the next crop because of their nitrogen- fixing nodules on the roots - so as long as you include broad beans/ peas/ dwarf french beans in the rotation all should be fine!

[SlugLobber]

I do rotate mine, but only because I have a wigwam and it's portable, so the beans go where there's space!

There's a house just up the road from me and they have had their beans in one spot for years, so maybe you'll be fine!

[snuffer]

I have grown my runner beans in the same place for the last ten years. The previous owner of the house grew her runner beans in exactly the same place. That means that, to the best of my knowledge, Runner beans have been growing in the same spot for at least 25 years.

Every so often I dig in a load of manure and every year I top dress with compost. Have never had any problems at all.

I do rotate all other crops including other types of bean but it has always been more convenient to keep the runners in the same place.

[Snadger]

I have grown my beans on an area infected with clubroot and onion white rot. Not a lot more I could grow there!

Haven't decided what I am going to do next year yet but I do think little teepee's dotted around the plot would add a bit of height. Don't want it to look like an indian reservation though!

With most brassicas having clubroot resistant varieties and even some white rot resistant onions, maybe it's time for a change!

[Two_Sheds]

Don't want it to look like an indian reservation though!

would that be Native American reservation?
Anyway, what's wrong with that? (pic is of one half of my teepee reservation)

[Jeanied]

would that be Native American reservation?
Anyway, what's wrong with that?

I second that! My three sisters bed was brilliant!

[sweetcorn]

I have planted beans in the same place for the last couple of years, and intend to keep them there as it's the most convenient. I think if you incorporate enough muck and compost, and clean the area out carefully, beans are not a problem. To ensure good soil you could do the 'bean trench' thing where you dig a deep trench, line with cardboard and bung a load of rotting compost in, buried under a load of soil - I think that is done in January??? Lovely rich soil for more structure collapsing quantities of beans!

[Flummery]

There's no real reason to rotate them. They don't tend to accumulate disease in the soil. Some peole like to make use of the fact that the roots fix nitrogen by planting the area the following year with something that needs it. It's up to you really.

[ginger ninger]

I grow my runners over an arch which in turn is over the entrance to my garden, I don't have many places to chose from only having a small garden, I've grown them there for the last 4 years and they seem to thrive OK, I dig over there compost, take half out and dig in some new every year, this year I treat them to some new containers.

[gojiberry]

This spring I will be building some permanent bean frames as I find that climbing beans are fine in the same place each year.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I grow my runners over an arch which in turn is over the entrance to my garden, I don't have many places to chose from only having a small garden, I've grown them there for the last 4 years and they seem to thrive OK, I dig over there compost, take half out and dig in some new every year, this year I treat them to some new containers.

That's really pretty GN. Mine didn't grow anything like that well this year, well done you.

[hamsterqueen]

that is brilliant news! I move mine around each year but as I am getting more and more raised beds, space for bean poles is getting limited.

They can stay in my flower bed

[Snadger]

would that be Native American reservation?
Anyway, what's wrong with that? (pic is of one half of my teepee reservation)

Whatever it is, I have reservations about it!