Should I pinch out the top of my runner bean plants?

[deltz]

They are now reaching there top of there canes and was wondering if I did extend it, which I can be about 2 feet will it be better for the plant?

[Two_Sheds]

I like to keep my beans within picking reach (I'm 5'3"), so I pinch out when they reach the top. Then again. And again.

[Bramble_killer]

I've not pinched some of them out as they haven't had any blackfly and one of them is about 6foot. Do they produce more beans if they get pinched out?

And not a lot of the flowers have set. Is that normal?

[Two_Sheds]

They produce earlier beans if you pinch out, because they can put their energy into bean production instead of leaf production.

Given a chance, they will just grow & grow, reaching the top of your canes and then flopping over & growing back down the canes

[Bramble_killer]

thanks 2sheds I'll pinch the remaining ones out tomorrow

[gojiberry]

My runners are only half way up the canes so no need to pinch out for a few days yet. The broad beans will need pinching this weekend as the blackfly has appeared at the top of the site and wont take long to work its way down.

Ian

[SeleneMourie]

Hi there,
Mine are almost at the top of the canes and i really don't know how to 'pinch out'
Could anybody help describe it or have a photo?

[Sanjo]

Just follow the climbing bean to the top where is has a little growing tip with baby leaves. Just break it off at this point. It's having the confidence to do it but provided they have reached the height you want you won't harm the plant.

[rustylady]

Hi there,
Mine are almost at the top of the canes and i really don't know how to 'pinch out'
Could anybody help describe it or have a photo?

Just cut off the stem just after a leaf at the height you want.

[womble]

I've not pinched some of them out as they haven't had any blackfly and one of them is about 6foot. Do they produce more beans if they get pinched out?

And not a lot of the flowers have set. Is that normal?

Broad beans get blackfly, not runners.

Honestly, I struggle to get my beans to survive in cold weather, I plan the day when they go out to perfection, grow them as big as I dare in root trainers and then everyone comes on here and says their beans are at the top of the poles, when mine are only a couple of feet high.
It's enough to make a man crazy

[Two_Sheds]

Broad beans get blackfly, not runners.

Ah, but they do. So do nasturtiums, which you could plant as a sacrificial crop

[womble]

Ah, but they do. So do nasturtiums, which you could plant as a sacrificial crop

Do they? OK let me change that. My climbing beans, either runners or french never get black fly and I've never seen any on any climbing beans.
Or maybe I just haven't looked hard enough.

[Two_Sheds]

No, you're just lucky. Or else you keep good control of your blackfly population

[zazen999]

Do they? OK let me change that. My climbing beans, either runners or french never get black fly and I've never seen any on any climbing beans.
Or maybe I just haven't looked hard enough.

Perhaps they are so small, they jut fly past

[womble]

Perhaps they are so small, they jut fly past

Ouch............