Would Runner Beans grow up the same string as a Cordon Tom?

[Bigmallly]

I already have Tomatoes in place slowly being wound round thick string in the polytunnels. I was wondering if I was to put a Runner Bean plant in the same planting site would it work?...........just a thought to get some early RB's.

[Jungle Jane]

My beans grew over my tomatoes,well the foliage did because it was massive & shaded the tomatoes,you could pick off the odd bean leaf though? It's a bit tangled but can be pruned?

[Scarlet]

I think it would end up as a tangled mess..trying to armpit would be a nightmare. But I'd love you to have a go and let us know just in case it does work. My GH has two dozen dwarf beans planted in the border that have/are flowering. I'm going to plant up with my toms in between

[Bigmallly]

Cheers JJ. What I may try is a couple of canes between the Tomatoes & see how it goes as I was concerned about shading.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Trouble is if you get two good plants you would have to change the string for a hawser.

[Scarlet]

What is a hawser???!

[veggiechicken]

A Hawser is similar to a Hipster - Hips and Haws for short

[Scarlet]

I thought haws grew on a hawthorn bush.

[Bigmallly]

Trouble is if you get two good plants you would have to change the string for a hawser.

The stuff I'm using is similar to this, maybe a tad thicker:

[kris1960]

I'm a big fan of intercropping but my experience of runner beans is that they grow very tightly around their supports.I am, however, no expert. Would love to see a piccy when you do it!

[Penellype]

I'd be worried the beans would strangle the tomatoes. Having said that, I did grow runner beans very close to my tomatoes last year:


You can just about see in the photo that the tomatoes were encroaching on the beans (they were particularly rampant Sungold tomatoes) and neither seemed to come to any harm. However, the beans were nowhere near the main stem of the tomato. The cucumber on the right joined in the fun as well.

[Sarico]

Well some of my Italian friend use to grow two plant of tomato at the same spot plus at the planting time they sow some beans. The two plant will help each other. Now I don't know what tomato( determinate or not ) o what bean they used.

[Bigmallly]

That's an interesting concept Sarico...........I don't know if I've got this right but wondered if the Nitrogen fix from the Beans would be of any benefit to the Toms.............just a random thought.

[Sarico]

I can't find on his blog where this friend talk about it. But I remember that the plants where cultivated in a not irrigate plot. now Italy is a little bit different then UK ( phoned my mum and told me that were 35c over there).

[Bigmallly]

If you find anything out, please come back & let us know.