They make some support things that you stick in the ground that are half circles. My wife uses them for her gladiolus. If you were to take 2 of these and create a full circle, they'd make a good support. Or, a more primative approach would be to stick 4 stakes or bamboo sticks in the ground, and span some twine between them. Just don't use any string or wire that would cut into the stems.

Here is a link to the half circle supports I was talking about. We got ours at a big box store, but I figured I post this link so you know what I'm talking about.

http://www.gardeners.com/Jardin-Half-Round-Flower-Supports/FlowerGardening_New,39-523RS,default,cp.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_term=jardin_plant_support&SC=XNET8019&gclid=CLHsnpanjKoCFYZrKgodYi8yzg

You can also do a google search of "jardin plant support".

Joe

I use remesh.

Dan

hmmm... I've just been letting mine kind of fall all over the place. Still getting tons of beans...

You can use branchy sticks just laying under them to hold the plants up, or you can use a very cheap method I've used for years. I make two rectangular shapes from thin, cheap bamboo or small sticks stuck in the ground - just 4 stakes each and about 8" apart from each other. Then I put one stake in the middle. For these I wrap string around them, and make the "holes" into triangle shapes. Now I normally do this BEFORE I plant beans. Holds them up well, easy to pick and helps keep foliage off the ground to prevent disease with splash back of rain and watering.

I have the sprawling bush bean woes as well. I've been using some plant supports that I once bought for alstroemeria. They are "L" shaped with an eye at the bend and a little hook at the end of the short arm. You can make any kind of geometric enclosure you want with them (the long arm goes into the ground).

But I like the girlgroupgirl's idea--only problem is I am having a hard time visualizing it :-(

I never thought of supporting bush beans (or butter beans or cowpeas), but this is a very good idea. I wonder how it would work to take a length of fence wire and arch it over the bed, staking the edges down so that the top of the arch would be short enough to support the plants. Alternatively, I wonder if those hoop supports they sell for perennials would work (gridded circles on legs). I'm going to try this!

I have PVC arches on two sides of the bed, weave twines through the bush beans, and tie twines to both ends.